


Once Upon a Time in Narnia

by Angharad_du_Bree



Category: Chronicles of Narnia - All Media Types, Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-05
Updated: 2016-07-21
Packaged: 2018-07-12 10:27:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 43,359
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7099126
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Angharad_du_Bree/pseuds/Angharad_du_Bree
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the background of season three, a new witch has arisen. While all eyes focus on one truly Wicked Witch, another schemes her own course that could determine the fate of Storybrooke. Will the heroes be in time? And who is Mrs Aveline?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my fiance's first fanfic, which has grown into a novella. Please comment - your words may affect the story line!

Once Upon a Time in Narnia

Author's note: Much of the events of this fiction take place during season 3, and very much increases the time between Zelena's first defeat in Kansas and the Portal activation in the same episode. 

Prologue

Once Upon a Time, there was an enchanted forest full of characters we all know, or think we know. An evil queen cursed them all, to steal their happy endings, exiling them to another world, our world. In a town called Storybrooke, legend and story live. 

In a quiet wood, a guinea pig snuffled in a long empty hollow. If one were to ask the guinea pig, it would likely say that it had always lived in the woods. That is, if it were a Talking Animal. Probably the oddest thing about the animal was the yellow ring held in place by a piece of elastic about it's middle. It was happy in the way of animals.

One day things changed. A white lamb, covered in the finest wool, wandered through the wood, past the two empty pools. The lamb stepped over the freshly cut brown loam that made the one pool just a bit different from all the others, dove in, and vanished. The guinea pig stopped at this pool and for a moment, considered in it's animal way the events that just happened, and determining that it wasn't relevant to it's life, decided the pool was a lovely place for a drink.

How the guinea pig came to be in this forest is another story.

@->~~

It was not a dark and stormy night. But then, most disasters don't start on such nights. Instead, it was a bright sunny day, the kind of day that makes one glad to be alive. 

Three children ran from Mr. Gold's Pawn shop pushing past an elderly woman. She still walked with the grace of a younger woman, but much slower these days. In her prime, she had a beauty that could move a man to make an ass out of himself. She still cut an attractive figure even if that was fifty years ago. Perhaps there was something about the air of Storybrooke that agreed with her.

"Children, slow down, " a sweet voice rang out with the gentle authority of a teacher. It belonged to a very pregnant Mary Margaret. In another land she bore the name of Snow White, a raven haired beauty linked arm and arm with her husband, a Prince Charming named David. 

With a giggle the girl of the trio waved and they slowed to a fast walk. In her arms was an old book. To most eyes it's letters were incomprehensible, but to the right eyes and mind, it could be read. It is worth noting that the books in Mr. Gold's shop were not always the safest of reading materials. Her black haired friend to the left was a squat boy, and by far the shortest of the trio. Everyone called him Nick. On the other side of the girl was a boy whose hair was a brownish gray had one of those unfortunate names that parents sometimes hang on their children, Adolf. Once out of sight of the Charmings, Simone glanced at her other prize in her bag, something round and golden. Then the children resumed their running. And Simone laughed as her messy brunette hair fluttered behind her.

While the children headed out, Ms. Aveline and the Charmings continued their conversation.

"And good morning, Mrs. Aveline. How are you today?" David asked.

She smiled and responded as she walked on, "Oh just lovely, just thought I would pop over and find a book at the library."

"Oh, Belle's running Mr. Gold's shop today, but I think she was going to wrap up early, " Mary Margaret said cheerily.

As Mrs. Aveline popped into Mr. Gold's shop and out of her earshot, David commented to Mary Margaret, "Her being here is a bit odd, isn't it?"

"I know, but Blue vouches for her and says she's not a danger to us, despite how she arrived," she replied thoughtfully.

"Huh, well there's still the missing year, and why we're back here. I suppose where she was for that year is just once more mystery for the pile."

@->~~

Regina, mayor of Storybrooke via cursed election, had a horrid nightmare that night. The nightmare was one she had not had in a long time. In it, she was in her mother's grand hall where it had once stood in the Enchanted Forest, the statues of soldiers stood in battle poses, faces racked with fear. Booming out of nowhere came a voice, "Regina, we will meet again soon."

She awoke, another night of sleep ruined. But she knew that voice. She shuddered and tried to find peaceful dreams. At least it wasn't as bad as her nightmare after the curse was broken. 

Still, she thought of the past and unable to sleep arose. Then, with a cloud of purplish smoke, she teleported to her private vault, located beneath her 'family crypt.' There, she hunted among her mother's things until she found what she was looking for. A tiny box, barely as big as her palm. She opened the latch, and looked within. There, on a velvet cushion lay a small rapier. It was too small for a child's hands, and too big for a fairy to use. But the being who had once owned it still lingered in her memories.

@~>~~

It was as if she descended from a great height, yet without wind. A world of castles and great forests grew larger and clearer. To the small boy, leading a lamb back to the fields, it was if she suddenly appeared in the Enchanted Forest. It was the age of legend, before Cora was a lady, before Regina spoke the curse that would change two worlds, but well past the last time the dagger of the Dark One changed hands.

The woman that appeared was stunning. Her auburn hair hung alluringly over her long poison green dress. With a soft, hypnotic voice she asked, "My little child, I have heard tell of a great sorcerer, one who is capable of great feats. Do you know of such a man?"

In a single breath, the child rattled off while pointing, "Oh that's Rumpelstiltskin. He's very evil and powerful and magical and lives right over that way in that big castle, but he only makes deals so you have to have something he wants and he's very bad and most people get hurt by his deals and they call him the Dark One, which is a really scary name, and I've never seen him but I hear he has funny skin, and everyone is 'fraid of him."

The lamb, on the other hand, appeared to be bemused by the whole proceeding, or sad, it can be hard to tell with sheep. 

"Why thank you, my dear, sweet child... now do forget about our conversation, " she said in tones of melodious resonance and with the spider web of magic. And so he did, for such was the nature of enchantment. However, she might have been wiser to give that council to the lamb, not that he'd have listened. But then, even the most savvy villain misses things from time to time. And so, she set off with confidence towards Rumpelstiltskin's estate.

@->~~

In Storybrooke Maine, Mr. Gold's Pawn shop was one of the more lovely versions of such establishments. It had wood and glass counters, fine hardwood floors, and many curiosities. These included creepy puppets, with histories it probably did not do one well to dwell on, to books of various age and condition to bikes hung from the rafters to a chess set with white's queen, bishop, and knight set aside, but otherwise set up in classic game start formation. It was said that one could find anything in the shop. It was also said that a contract with Mr. Gold was one step up from a deal with the Devil, but only because the Devil usually didn't bother to pretend to hold up his end of the bargain.

Mrs. Aveline always found the place a bit dreary, with the current proprietress a bright ray of golden sunshine to an otherwise dark shop. Belle had been pulling double duty between this shop and the local library since the report of Mr. Gold's death. There was a story there, but Ms. Aveline did not know it.

"Hullo Belle, " Mrs. Aveline said cheerily. 

"Mrs. Aveline! Were you wanting something from the Pawn Shop today?" Belle said, her gentle smile framed by her brown locks. While Mrs. Aveline had been particularly kind upon hearing about Rumpelstiltskin 's death, she was not from Storybrooke, thus her presence was always a bit disconcerting. Belle was indeed that Belle from old faerie tales. Her Beast, however, was a creature known as Rumplestiltskin, or rather Mr. Gold in our world. That name was possibly a nod to his habit of spinning straw into gold.

"Oh no, I was looking for something to read," Ms. Aveline said. "I have just returned from a rather nice holiday in Liverpool a few days ago. I had thought I was done traveling, but the opportunity was just too lovely to pass up."

At Belle's slightly confused look, Ms. Aveline continued, "I am so sorry, I thought with the accent I was talking to someone from my side of the pond, or maybe an Aussie."

Belle laughed to hide her unease, "Oh not to worry, Ms. Aveline. No, I have never been, actually, although Rumple and I had talked about going some day. I am about done here, so let me lock up and we will pop over the library and find you a good book.

"In the meantime, " Belle continued, "why don't you tell me about it while I tidy up."

As Ms. Aveline happily recounted the strange world of air travel and a city unlike any Belle, a native of the Enchanted Forest, had ever seen, Belle cleaned up the shop. It did not take long to clean up and close up the Pawn Shop, and then it was a short walk up Main Street to the clock tower and library. Belle mentally noted that Ms. Aveline's arrival was probably the day before Storybrooke returned. An odd fact, as she should have seen the lack of town on her way past. It also meant her cabin pre-dated Storybrooke and was incorporated into it. She wondered briefly what it meant as they headed inside. She made a mental note to look through Rumple's less public books about it. She wasn't about to ask Regina, better known as the Evil Queen from Snow White's tale, and original creator of Storybrooke via one truly nasty curse.

Once inside, they made their way to the back and started browsing together. The library was, in a word, strange. Sometimes things simply turned up unexpectedly. Not to mention the concealed elevator to the caverns below Storybrooke.

In this case, the unexpected came in the form of a seven volume set of white covered books in a white case with pictures on the three sides of the box that did not show off the volumes.

Mrs. Aveline held it on it's side, showing the picture of a tall, swarthy man with a black kite shield rimmed in red crossing swords with a much smaller man, wearing a crown of silver, and wielding a silver sword and a rounded shield lacking any coat of arms. 

"Chronicles of Narnia," she said thoughtfully, "how odd. It reminds me..."

While Belle waited patiently, Ms. Aveline read off two of the titles just as thoughtfully, "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.

"And Prince," her voice had an odd catch in it, "Caspian."

Belle looked on intently, "Why so strange?"

"Oh it's nothing, it just reminds me of silly fairytales and games I and my siblings used to play. Utterly childish fantasy rubbish, of course, " Mrs. Aveline said dismissively, "But how odd. I would swear I never knew a man named C.S. Lewis."

Belle looked on thoughtfully, "I've often thought fairy tales are unfairly derided. What is so wrong with true love? What is so wrong with a quest to redeem the villain, no matter how black his heart? What's so wrong with stories where the good guy wins?" 

"Oh, but it's just not mature. I mean a grown woman should concern herself making sure she stays fashionable and that she can keep current with world events. She understands the modern world and her place in it. Ours is a world of intellectual grays. She should not waste her time on the slaying of dragons, stories of pirates with flying ships, evil queens, witches, and other such silly things that don't exist. "

Belle thought that sounded rather shallow as Mrs. Aveline impulsively grabbed another book. Through Mrs. Aveline's hand she could make out the letter "T" as the start of the title, with the last four letters of the author's name being "eyer."

"I much more prefer realistic fiction in any case, " Mrs. Aveline said, leaving Belle holding the box set. "I think I shall read this one instead. It's sure to be much better written. Besides, the king's shield on the box art is all wrong, it's not round."

Belle was polite while getting the book checked out, but Mrs. Aveline departed in a manner much more frosty than either might have preferred. Still, if there is one truth that a woman who has loved a Beast like Rumpelstiltskin, it is that it is best to have a fairly thick skin when it comes to the slights of others. The road of Belle's love story had been a rocky and difficult one, but more on that later. 

@->~~

In the Enchanted Forest, the lady walked towards the estate of Rumpelstiltskin, her poisonous green dress brushing her steps yet never attracting the real problems in such environments, such as mud. Magic can be practical like that, giving little advantages while jacking up the price. And as the owner of the estate she walked towards would remind us, all magic comes at a price.

"So, Dearie, who are ya and why are ya off in such a hurry?" said a sing song voice from the trees. As she turned her head in surprise, letting her sumptuous red-brown locks twirl and frame her surprised and pale face, she saw him. He was a twisted thing, what in others was whimsy, was in him, terror. His skin was a golden fleck that might remind one of a dragon or demon, and the dark scale leather he wore merely enhanced the comparison. 

"Oh, you have startled me, " she said in silken tones, "I was seeking the master of the estate over there. I am Melinda, on my own business with him. Could you direct me?"

"Well Dearie, " He said with a cheerful caper, "you've found him, and he's a very busy man.

"Now, what's to stop him from ripping your heart out for bothering him," he said in a much darker tone.

With that, Melinda spoke in a low, hypnotic voice, "I am sure that he can aid me. It would be so easy for him to use his dark magics to teach me what I need to..."

Suddenly, he was behind her, knife at her throat. He whispered in her ear, "Stop that Dearie, or I will carry out my threat... Or maybe I'll turn you into a little garden snake and step on you."

"Can we not make a deal?" Melinda said in a much less enchanting voice and one not at all backed up by magic.

"Ooooooh, " Rumpelstiltskin cooed with his trademark giggle, "I do so love a good deal. Especially by the desperate. What are ya offerin'... Dearie?"

"What I wish is training in magic. My mistress simply does not have the time just now to teach me what I need to know, but she gave me the tools to travel between here and her realm, Narnia. Now, as to what I offer, the first is this golden item. It's quite clever really. The second, is a book my mistress uses to teach her Hags, adapted from her original realm. I already know everything in that, so it's not of help."

The device was a round and golden on the outside, with a flip up top. Inside it had a face consisting of a series of characters in ring formation. It bore a bit resemblance to a watch, but it had no hands, but rather a triangular viewing window that went from the middle to the edge. With a push on the top button, the six rings of characters would spin, aligning beneath the viewing window, with a small winder on the back. Open, it looked closer to a compass. But looks could be deceiving. Rumpelstiltskin looked it over and said, "What a clever little device.

He giggled, "Alright Dearie, I've never taught anyone magic before. I'll give it a go. I'll most likely kill you in the morning."

"In which case, " Melinda added, "I think I should like one other item to travel back with, if you're agreeable to adding it to the deal."

"Oh, what do you have in mind?"

She told him, and Rumpelstiltskin giggled and agreed.

@->~~

It was a cloudy day in Storybrooke shortly after the breaking of part of Regina's first curse, but the storm clouds over it's citizens was far more intense. The memories of the Enchanted Forest had returned, but they could not leave, as poor Sneezy found out the hard way. To leave was to lose who they were and yet they had to live with two sets of memories, their own and those of the curse. But that wasn't the end of it. The latest discovery was that people from the outside could now get in and leave as they will. For the people beyond the borders of Storybrooke had never been cursed by Regina's hatred, but could see the truth of the town.

The hearts of many of the townspeople were troubled, and they feared what would happen were the truth of Storybrooke were to be discovered.

What then was this device of terror. The thing that had them quivering and shuddering this day? An ordinary bus. Not a school bus, but one of those everyday, gray buses that go from city to city, transporting people. The appearance would have been worrisome enough. At least the sign didn't say "Storybrooke" but rather a city further to the north. What was worrisome was that it stopped, and let off a single passenger.

"Like I told you, " Grumpy, or Leroy as he was known in Storybrooke said to Doc, one of his fellow dwarves, "next thing you know we're gonna to have tour buses goin' up and down main street."

The single passenger was a little old lady. She was named Ms. Aveline, but she had not yet become a fixture of Storybrooke. She had that queenly grace that comes from beauty at a young age, but without the spoiled rotten air that often follows. Though the beauty had faded along with her black hair leaving behind dark gray strands in memory, her eyes were still keen, if sad. Yet, age had taken it's toll as she moved feebly on a simple cane of oak.

After a pair of large suitcases on wheels were unloaded she made her way up to Leroy in his maintenance worker's clothes, and said, "Hullo, could you direct me to the Forest Cottage? I inherited it a while back, and decided it would make a nice place to settle down."

Leroy, much to his surprise, knew exactly where that cottage was. Curse knowledge could be like that. He replied, "Oh yeah sister, four blocks up, hang a left and then it's about a half a mile up the road." 

In a rare moment of compassion possibly mixed with the urge to get her out of town, even if only for a little bit, "Tell you what, give me a minute to borrow the van and I'll drive ya."

"Why thank you, " She said with a small smile, "I was rather afraid I would have to walk."

As they loaded her luggage into the van, they were spotted by the local church's Mother Superior, who in the land of the Enchanted Forest was normally much smaller, winged, and referred to as the 'Blue Fairy.' That would be the Blue Fairy of Pinocchio fame, of course. The bangs of her red hair were sticking out a bit below the traditional blue habit of her and her fellow fairies. Well, more accurately here, nuns. Curses could be like that.

Her eyes narrowed in worry. It was bad enough that there was one person from the outside world. Admittedly, he was in the hospital at the moment and claimed to have seen nothing. But this, this meant that there was another one wandering about, who could blow the secret of Storybrooke to a world without magic. As she considered how she might deal with this new interloper within the bounds of light magic, she heard a voice behind her.

"Peace Blue Fairy, she is no threat," it said in a deep voice that resonated peace just in the speaking.

She turned quickly and recognized the speaker, "You. Why are you here?" 

"Shepherding," the other person responded calmly.

Blue considered this with deep seriousness and suddenly connected the stories. As her eyes lit up in thought she replied, "All right. Is there anything you need from me and my fellow fairies, or nuns if you will?"

"Beyond non-interference?" The other person responded thoughtfully, "Not much. Be wary. Other parties seek violence upon this town."

As the speaker left, Blue considered how to deal with this warning.

Meanwhile, Leroy found that it was not a long drive, and it was sometimes a surprise how quickly things went from town to forest. It was not on the main road through Storybrooke, but rather on one of side streets off that main road, and far, Leroy noted, from Mr. Gold's private cottage, but still well within the borders of Storybrooke. It had the rustic feel of something that had been around for a century, grudgingly receiving modern luxuries, like electricity, with the grace of a spoiled child. It had started life as a simple two room log cabin. Generations had replaced the roof, insulated the walls, replaced and enlarged the windows, and added indoor plumbing. The bathroom itself looked a bit tacked on as it had been made by more modern techniques. Still, it managed that lived in, happy feel with it's slightly over run small flower beds. One got the sense that it could be restored with some love. Finally, it had an old oak door with a lock that opened to Ms. Aveline's key. From what Grumpy saw of the inside as they made their goodbyes, it was well appointed and recently aired out. In the distance, the clock tower in town square chimed.

After Leroy drove grumbling back to town, he headed back and promptly found himself in another end of the world catastrophe, the fruits of which would result in deaths, torture, and in time, the disappearance and eventual return of Storybrooke. Blue did indeed face a horrid time, the seeds of which had been sewn so long ago with Tinkerbelle. But that is another story.

@~>~~

Rumpelstiltskin sat comfortably on the edge of the Enchanted Forest, on a small hillock. The long grasses rustled as a large snake approached him stealthily. It's poison green scales glistening in the daylight.

It slid closer. Rumpelstiltskin seemed oblivious.

It reared as if to strike, and Rumpelstiltskin disappeared into a cloud of purple smoke. Nearby, his mocking laughter sounded as he stepped out from behind a tree. With a slight gesture, the snake was surrounded in green smoke, revealing Melinda. She was wearing her favorite poison green dress.

Rumpelstiltskin was amused and generally pleased with his new student, Melinda. Her gifts were not strong for direct magic, such as the fireballs and turning to stone that he'd seen in other hands. Instead, her gifts leaned towards enchantment, and altering of minds. Indeed, in time, he'd dubbed her "the Lady of the Green Kirtle," as both joke and truth. Recently acquired gifts had told him that he would soon have to send her back to her land, but for now, he was curious and had a question and had, in his usual way, manipulated things to make it look like a won bet.

In his typical way, he asked as if to simply fill the time between lessons, "Now dearie, you owe me a story. So, tell me more about this land of yours and your mistress."

And so the witch began her story.

"It was a normal childhood, I would say. Not long ago, the true queen of Narnia, Jadis, formerly of Charn was deceived out of her due by various circumstances, her proper immortality used to drive her away in the form of a crooked magic laughably called the 'Tree of Protection.'

"She told me how it wasn't her fault. After trailing the thief that would plant the tree and seeing him enter in the gates of the great garden, she scaled the wall and acquired an apple of her own. This apple would be the source of her own immortality. Little did she know that the thief's apple would deny her what she was due. She swears the Lion knew, but I don't think he's that smart.

"King Frank and Queen Helen spawned many children, who bred with the Naiads and Dryads of Narnia, and as was their wont, they spread across Narnia. They went in all directions. Many went south and some set sail. The ones that came north, she killed, of course, " Melinda continued, her eyes distant with memory.

"Queen Jadis was wise, and chose to make her own children to serve her army. When Dryads or Naiads were found within the North, she made sure to get what she needed from them. From them came the Hags and the People of the Toadstools. Also, Jadis was very good at finding ways to summon other servants. Then I was born. I do not know who my father was. Jadis told me he was unworthy of me, and that she had to remove him from the picture.

"Queen Jadis told me I was her princess. When she took Narnia for her own, I, her most perfect child, would rule at her side, and, of course, at that time give me the great gift she had, immortality. But first we had many things to do. We brought the black haired dwarves to our side, and she only had to turn ten of them to stone!" Melinda said with a slight giggle.

"My, what fun you've had dearie," Rumpelstiltskin said in that disquieting voice of his, and quietly reflecting that she seemed unaware that her Jadis would be sure that Melinda would never actually rule. "But I sense the story takes a darker turn."

Melinda sighed, "I suppose that would be the incident with the giants. It was a set back for both of us."

"Giants you say?" he perked up curiously. "They don't garden beans by any chance?" 

"Why yes, they did, at least the ones at the giant city used to. I'm afraid they're all dead now, " Melinda said brightly.

"I see, so what happened to them?" Rumpelstiltskin said with curiosity, carefully keeping the annoyance out of his voice.

"Oh, I killed them all, of course."


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wherein the fate of the Giants of Narnia is revealed, and more of Rumpelstiltskin and Melinda continue their training. As well as more is revealed about Mrs. Aveline

 

@~>~~

 

For twenty-eight years, Storybrooke did not change.  Archie Hopper, better known to literary fans as Jiminy Cricket, walked his Dalmatian Pongo down the exact same path. 

 

Ruby, also known as Little Red Riding Hood, had the almost the exact same argument with her Granny every day outside of their diner and boarding house. 

 

And every day, a small girl, about twelve, with brown hair tangled with twigs in almost the exact same way would creep into Mr. Gold's shop after school.  She would look around with the guilty fascination that children get when they know they probably shouldn't do something, but let their curiosity lead them to doing it anyways.  As she always did, she found the strange golden device and pressed the button.  As always it spun aimlessly, the first time she pressed it, until she said, "I am Simone."

 

At which point it locked six symbols, one after another, which she took as meaning "Truth."

 

She spun it again, and said, "I am a purple platypus."

 

She wasn't, of course, but there are stranger things in Storybrooke.  It locked again, with six symbols she took to mean "Lie."

 

But when she spun it again, she said, "I was born in Storybrooke." 

 

When it returned the symbols for lie, she decided it was broken and put it back on the shelf, before sneaking out. For she thought she knew she had been born in Storybrooke.

 

For twenty-eight years, she did the same thing.  Only Regina, the evil Queen, and her adopted son Henry changed.  Until Emma arrived and broke the curse, changing everything.  All according to Rumpelstiltskin's plan.  However, what happened when little Simone realized the device had been right was rather less a part of his plans.

 

@~>~~

 

It was nearly two years later, since she'd first realized the truth of Storybrooke.  Simone finally had the magical book in hand along with the truth device.  There was probably a fancy name for it, but she didn't know it.  Adolf and Nick were restive, and would play while she focused on the book. 

 

While the adults of Storybrooke dealt with other problems including flying monkeys, a years worth of lost memories, and one very wicked witch, she read, using the device when she was unsure of words.  Soon, it became clear that she could be like Regina, or Mr. Gold, and have real power. 

 

For someone who had lived as a peasant and then cursed to be without her real memories, end up as what amounted to a living prop in Regina's play, real power was attractive.  She needed her own tutor.  Fortunately, she found a ritual that would summon one.

 

But could she trust the tutor?  To that, she lifted the golden truth device, and activated it, posing the question.  It took her a moment to understand it's answer, but it came back as follows, "She will offer great power."

 

Taking that answer to mean yes, she decided to move forward.   Most of the ingredients for the ritual she knew or could find.  The blue flame just required some additives she could find, and the layout looked easy enough.  But one gave her pause.

 

"Hey Nick... do you know anyone whose dad's name is Adam?  We need a drop of his blood."

 

@~>~~

 

In the Enchanted forest, long ago, Rumpelstiltskin sprawled back and prepared to hear Melinda's tale.

 

"It was during the time when her majesty was beginning to gather real forces.  There had been several forays north by the Narnians, and it had cost us minions each time, and both Queen Jadis and I agreed that we needed a better class of minion, something that could assault their precious castle... oh Cair Paravel or something like that, I forget.  Minotaurs are decent slaves, but a bit linear in their thinking, " Melinda began.

 

"Then we heard tales of giant beanstalks having descended from the sky, and a huge city built to the far north.  A city of giants, tall and proud, and full of potential warriors.  Warriors to lead us to victory, or so we imagined at the time.  But we did not know that someone had preceded us.

 

Rumpelstiltskin gave a slight smile and nodded for her to continue. Inside, he was beginning to consider that this one was too unstable, and it might be time to send her on her way.  

 

She continued, "It took us some time to travel.  But when we arrived, our hopes were indeed elevated.  It was a grand city, with cobblestones so large they might look as hills, tall buildings that stretched to the sky.  And the music and laughter, it was glorious.  And then, there were the bean fields, far as the eye could see, the food of the giants, I expect. And all this came from crystal clear water from a single massive well, in the center of town.  The whole affair was laid out like spokes on a wagon wheel, but one could hardly tell from our level.  The design really was their undoing.

 

"When we arrived, Queen Jadis strode forth, and with an elegant weaving of magic, gave the giants notice.  Fireworks, actually, very diplomatic of her.  I would have preferred turning one of the brutes to stone.  Oh they were polite at first, and we were ushered into the presence of a king, who was an ancient. Before him he had a great plaque carved.  It went like this:

 

            "Though under earth and throne less now I be. Yet, while I lived all earth was             under me."

 

Melinda looked bemused before continuing, "I thought it quaint and rather pointless.  Of course his entire court was present, the lords and ladies of his various houses. Their names were Abelard, Dachs, Gundula, Isold, Lamphrect, Harfang, and Wernher, as I recall.  It was a grand affair, but giants, well things that would work on our scale look often grotesque on theirs.

 

"I would come to learn later the Lamphrect were the main bean farmers.  Not that it really matters.  The Harfang giants were barely worthy of the name, compared to the rest.  Much shorter and smaller. Runts almost.  Funny, after that first night, I do not know what became of them.  It was Abelard's leader, a somewhat slow talking male whose name I never learned that proved to be the problem.  He seemed to have the king's ear.

 

"Still, we had our grand entrance and were welcomed in style.  The king made a point to feast us well.  And then it was time for Queen Jadis to speak.

 

"It was a stirring speech.  She spoke of how she had been cheated of her due in Narnia, how they could gain in riches and power by serving with her. She spoke of how the injustice had to be rectified and they could bring it to pass.  It was a gorgeous speech, " Melinda said with misty eyes.

 

Rumpelstiltskin thought to himself, but did not say that it sounded entirely self-involved to almost petty.  So what she had to say next came as little surprise.

 

"And then, he rejected it! All of it! She was graciously giving them a chance to do something worthwhile with their lives and he said no! He told her he and his would not serve her, " Melinda's eyes widened in anger as she spoke.  For a woman of enchantment and beauty, it was an ugly look.

 

"So she swung her white furs about and we left.  She said she would return at a future date, to discuss the matter further.  But I knew that it meant I needed to show the initiative and finish it, " Melinda continued.

 

"So I did.  Late that night, I stealthily made my way into the middle of town and poured a rather lovely poison I concocted into their only well.

 

"When we returned the next day, the king and most of his court lay dead, save for the heads of house Harfang, and that dullard from Abelard.

 

"Before I left to come here, Queen Jadis determined that the Abelard family had left the night before.  Apparently, they had had a visitor who told them to run to Narnia that night.  In short time, she laid a great curse upon that house. That any giant of house Ablelard beyond the northern border of Narnia would be a born of simple mind from then on. But that was her majesty, far too merciful.  I would have not been so kind, " Melinda said calmly.

 

"Indeed, Dearie.  So that brings us to the parting of the ways.  I take it that happened soon thereafter, " Rumpelstiltskin said in his amused way.

 

"Oh yes! How insightful you are. Over time, her majesty had collected many prizes.  The items I turned over to you were two of them.  The other was a pair of magic rings, one green, one yellow.  She claimed to have been given them by a rather silly device wizard of another realm.  Sadly, they are a bit difficult in operation. Before I left, she cast a spell upon them, and she said I was to look for the place that reflected gold, switch rings, and go there as quick as I could. She claimed the realm between was highly dangerous and treacherous. She warned me that any other path would be death. She said it was full of true horror.  In fact, I know I must have seen it, for I was wearing the other ring when I arrived. But I could not tell you what it looked like.  As it is, according to her ladyship, they could only travel between the lands attuned, which was this land and Narnia. When I return, I must make that treacherous journey again. But I will succeed and be reunited with her Majesty, and in time, rule Narnia myself, "  Melinda concluded with confidence.

 

"So it is only between here and this Narnia, then, " Rumpelstiltskin stated with a touch of deep buried frustration.  Now that he had the story he needed, it was time to send her home with her prize.  He was ready to declare her training, "complete."  Oh well, a curse it was then. Pity really, the rings sounded as they held such promise, but risking his existence like that, no, no he wasn't prepared to do that.  If he had, Balefire's words at their parting wouldn't still haunt him.

 

His son, calling him a coward before falling far from this world into a world without magic was the greatest regret of his life. All because he didn't honor the deal.

 

@~>~~

 

It was another cloudy day in Storybrooke.  Ms. Aveline was out for a walk on of the streets that ran parallel to the main street.  As she glanced towards downtown, and the clock tower, she saw a sight that surprised her.

 

It was a giant, tall and huge, walking down main street.  Stomping more like.  Somewhere, in the back of her mind, she idly wondered where his spiked shoes were, if he was going to war.  But the rest of her mind agreed with the word she said which was, "Impossible!"

 

Then, the older, more mature element of her mind snapped to a derided her for perceiving fairy tales and impossibilities.   As she looked back, and the giant was nowhere in sight.  She shook her head and sighed to herself, "There, nothing. Sister, how can that imagination still do this to me after all these years?"

 

Despite what she told herself,  there indeed had been a giant striding down the main street, in pursuit of David, but why that was and what happened to him after is another story.  He might show up again, however.  One can never tell.

 

@~>~~

 

While the terrors of the Wicked Witch reigned in Storybrooke, life moved on.  Cars were fixed, Marco's shop built woodworks, and children went to school.  It was lunch time that day, and a boy named "Billy" by the curse sat alone picking at his food.  Every school has children like Billy.  They are the children who don't exactly conform to the rules set forth by the popular people either because they don't know how, or they pretend not to care.  He avoided eye contact by playing on his calculator watch.  It had been a very popular item 30 years ago. Today that would change for him.  It should have been a day to celebrate.

 

Simone sat down across from him with a cheery, "Hi!"

 

Billy's response was all the genius of a child who did not really know how to interact with other children.  One who secretly always desperately wanted to interact effortlessly but was too terrified to.  Which is to say he said something to the effect of "Um... hi?"

 

Simone laid the charm on thick.  She was young yet and a woman like Melinda would have laughed at her efforts.  She smiled in a cute and slightly coquettish way and said, "So I was thinking that you'd be fun to hang out with.  Me, Adolf, and Nick are all sneaking out to the woods.  You should come, it'll be fun."

 

Billy half smiled, and mumbled something along the line that that sounded like fun.

 

"Your daddy's first name is Adam, right?  I always thought that was a neat name,"  Simone said.

 

He responded with a nervously mumbled, "yeah."

 

"Great, so you'll come right?"

 

"Sure, sounds fun, "  Billy said.  There's an old saying about sweetness, light, and cyanide. Unfortunately, Billy missed the presence of the last ingredient on that list.

 

@~>~~

 

Melinda entered Rumpelstiltskin's lair with a touch of trepidation.  She knew she'd done well and quite honestly, he could be warm and charming in more ways than one, when he put a mind to it. To any who saw her, it was obvious that she dreaded the idea that their time was drawing to a close. And that soon, too soon, they would part ways. Still, returning to Narnia with her final prize would be worth it.

 

As she entered his grand hall with it's trophies aplenty, she realized one scheme she considered would not work. For Rumpelstiltskin lounged comfortably in the enchanted chair of silver she'd traded for when she first arrived.

 

Frankly, it made her a bit cross, and it showed in her voice, "Does it not work?  After all this, and you would give me a broken artifact?"

 

His titter of amusement resonated in the hall as he twisted around to look up at her with a smile.

 

"Oh no, Dearie, " he said in a sing song voice with a smug grin, "it works just fine. Just not on me, or you for that matter.  Buuuut I did bring along someone for you. "

 

With that, he gestured and middle aged woman was lowered in chains from the chandelier until she stood before them.  She had a name of course, but neither cared. 

 

"This little thief thought she'd steal some of my magic, " Rumpelstiltskin said with more than a touch of malice.  "What was is it again, a magic wand to cure a sick kiddie? But then why would ya be needin' a wand that summons gold to cure the sick, I wonder... Dearie"

 

She turned to Melinda her blue eyes heavy with terrified desperation. She cried, "Mercy, please!"

 

Melinda tittered, and without the slightest bit of hesitation or compassion, pushed her into the silver chair, and activated it's magic.

 

 In a moment, her eyes glazed and she sat still.  Melinda said her best melodic tones, "now, you are Ursa, the brave bandit of myth.  You will get up and walk out from here, and when you do, you'll remember only that you're the legendary bandit Ursa.  Go find the best defended carriage and attempt to rob it only using your great strength."

 

With that, the thin and reedy woman, clearly under nourished and weak, headed out as if she was the strongest being imaginable.  After the newly minted Ursa left, Rumpelstiltskin applauded. 

 

"Well Dearie, you've got the hang of it.  Of course, like any good curse, there is a catch," he said in his singsong voice.

 

Melinda pouted a bit, but if the item worked as advertised, she could achieve the role of queen a bit sooner than she'd originally thought, or perhaps the power behind the throne would be more to her liking.

 

Rumpelstiltskin continued on, seemingly oblivious to her plotting mind, "For one hour a day, the target of the chair must sit upon it.  If the target does not, poof, no curse."

 

With a grand gesture, he concluded with a bow.

 

Melinda quietly nodded and said in a slightly sultry voice as she leaned forward, "so is this my going away present? Does this mean that I have learned all I need to learn? It has been such fun learning from you, all the things you teach."

 

He smiled and capered, and said, "Oh yes Dearie, you've learned all I have to teach you."

 

She sighed sadly, "I shall always remember our times. Now, off to lend my aid to my queen."

 

With that, she executed a formal curtsey, and donned the magical ring, vanishing.

 

Once she and her magical chair were well and truly gone, Rumpelstiltskin looked around, and said to the empty room, "Well that's that then.  Maybe I should make my own monster, instead of using someone else's."

 

He would later make several monsters, most of whom were women.

 

@~>~~

 

It was several days since Belle had seen Ms. Aveline in town.  On some level, she could have stayed angry with her, but decided that there wasn't a point in it.  Besides, she had been reading the books Ms. Aveline spurned, and found something interesting.  For, Ms. Aveline had been right, the description of High King Peter's shield was nothing like the cover.  In fact, the book described it as a kite shield with golden background and cherry red lion device, not the round one shown on the cover art.  The shield was probably magical from the description.

 

All of this had made Belle curious, which brought her on her mission today.  That, and to see if Ms. Aveline wanted to trade out her current book for one on Medieval fashions she'd found in between researching what the Wicked Witch wanted in Storybrooke.

 

As she approached the cottage, she heard the distinctive thump of something thrown against the wall.  Thinking something was wrong, Belle rushed to the door, only to hear a rather familiar sound of someone decrying an author's bizarre and utterly illogical plotting.

 

Assured that nothing bad had befallen Ms. Aveline, Belle knocked politely.  About a minute later, the door unlocked and Ms. Aveline met her at the door, dressed in a comfortable dress, smiled and said, "Hullo Belle! What brings you by today?"

 

"Oh, I found a little something that you might like.  I take it the previous book isn't going over so well,"  Belle said with a slight smile.

 

"That girl needs serious therapy!  And seriously, a boyfriend who breaks into your house to watch you while you sleep?"

 

In that moment, Belle really missed her Rumple, as she called him.   Mrs. Aveline stopped, and quietly gave Belle a quick hug. She said, "come in dear, and let's talk for a while.  It looks like you've got something bothering you."

 

As Mrs. Aveline closed the door behind Belle, she did not see that other eyes had been marking Belle's travels with an interest that was much more malign.

 

Inside, Mrs. Aveline made tea, and in time served it to Belle, who took it with a lump of sugar, but no cream.  As they got settled, they studiously engaged in small talk about everything and anything but what was really bothering them, until it was time for the real talk.

 

Mrs. Aveline started the deeper conversation in this way, "Do you know, Belle, there is something refreshing about the air of Storybrooke. I loved seeing England again, but it was so tiring.  I hadn't used my cane in months, but by the time I arrived there I was tired and using it constantly.  I feel the sand's almost all run out, but I still have something left to finish.

 

Mrs. Aveline laughed and said, "Oh but I do go on, tell me about what has been happening in Storybrooke?"

 

The truth, that Peter Pan was actually Rumpelstiltskin's father, and had caused the unwinding of the curse to prevent the death of everyone present was not something she wanted to talk about, and in any case, Belle didn't know what had passed in the interim or brought them back, so she said sadly, "I really do not want to talk about that, can we talk about something else?"

 

Mrs. Aveline got up and hugged Belle.  Mrs. Aveline said, "We are friends, Belle, it's alright.  I feel you want to talk about it, as you can.  What is wrong?"

 

"It's Rumple,  " Belle said, "I do miss him so.  We left so much unsaid.  True, he could be a beast at times, but deep down there was a hurting man who just needed love, I'd say.  However, he departed in a noble way, and I left me sure he loved me."

 

"And yet, he left?"

 

"It really was the only way.  I do miss him so.  How does one deal with that?"

 

Mrs. Aveline looked deeply sad as she spoke, "I don't know. One day at a time, I suppose.  At one time, I used to believe I would see my loved ones again. Now, I just don't know what to believe.  It's like fairy tales, our modern world has no time for them anymore.   Or the belief that someone can be intrinsically good."

 

Belle said quietly feeling it a rare moment of sharing, "Could you tell me your story? What of it you can bear?"

 

"It has been enough years.  It was 1955.  My siblings and I had a falling out some years back, because they kept insisting that a fairy tale we concocted during the Blitz was real.  But really, it was all quite impossible.  Travel between worlds is a fun fantasy, but it doesn't happen."

 

Mrs. Aveline continued, oblivious to the irony that her company had, in fact done just that,  "1955 was the last time we spoke.  My younger sister called me, she said my siblings, cousin, and family friends had gathered and something was wrong with that imaginary land.  She begged me to come with them, to meet them at the train in Bristol. 

 

"I told her she was mad.  That there was no such land, and it was a foolish game, and to grow up.  We had a horrible row over the telephone, and I told her I wasn't going to come, I had more important things to do, and I hung up on her while she was in tears.

 

Mrs. Aveline dabbed her eyes and said, "The next day, all the talk was of the train derailment.  I lost my brothers and sister, a cousin considerably less bratty than he used to be, and a beloved mentor and friends, over a story they insisted on believing. 

 

"And the last words I ever said to one of the people I loved the most were in anger and frustration. I called her mad," Mrs. Aveline concluded with a catch in her voice, "I have carried that burden for more than fifty years.  Sometimes, I reread my old books, and pray that maybe, some day, I can believe that I'll see my sister again, and be reunited."

 

Belle got up and hugged Mrs. Aveline in a gently sisterly way.  As she sat down, she began in her halting way she told the story of how she met Rumpelstiltskin and how she came to take care of his household, initially as a servant, but over time more.  She talked about these things and others.  It was more a discussion of sights and smells and feelings than anything else. She did not share the truths of the Enchanted Forest, for she felt she could not for the sake of those that lived in Storybrooke.

 

And in that season, they found common ground and a friendship once a bit stormy found itself in clear skies with golden sun in clear view.  As they parted, Belle parted more at peace than she had been in a long time. She wouldn't have been so peaceful had she known Zelena, the Wicked Witch, was watching her leave.

 

"No no, " Zelena said to herself, "She would be too obviously missed.  Besides I can torture her precious Rumple all the more by letting her be, but out of his reach."

 

As Belle walked up the road and out of sight, her mind had wandered, she was sure there was a connection between Mrs. Aveline and the books they'd found that day, but she wasn't sure what it was.

 

Zelena watched her go, then turned her eyes back towards the cottage and thought aloud, "She on the other hand would be perfect for one of my flying...."

 

"You shall not, witch, " a voice growled behind her.

 

Zelena turned, and saw.  Were one to ask her about this moment later, she would claim that she graciously decided to withdraw, the fight not being worth her time.  That isn't what happened.  Instead, she responded in the fine tradition of other evil witches, she forgot everything she knew about magic and power, hitched up her skirts, and ran for it.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zelena's plans continue while a new threat appears in Storybrooke. More is revealed about Mrs. Aveline. Simone and the children tell more of their backstories.

Elsewhere, at about the same time, Simone, Nick, and Adolf led young Billy to the 'play' area hidden deep in the woods. Had Regina, Mr. Gold, or even the Mother Superior seen their preparations at the location, they would have put a stop to it immediately. The ground had been worked into a massive sigil, with a spot for a fire in the middle. Simone had hidden the materials she stole to make the flame nearby.

On some level, Billy knew something was wrong, but he silenced the quiet voice of warning. He wanted friends too much to let the momentary pricking of worry stop him. While Adolf pretended to be his friend, Nick helped Simone arrange things. Then, she lit the flame, and Nick, felt a sick feeling. He ignored it, because he thought himself too wise to fall subject to a feeling of wrongness. It was all in his head, surely.

When Billy saw the flame, he flinched a bit, because it flickered in a blue flame, clearly magic. But Simone smiled in a disarming way and said, "come on closer. We're almost done. This will be sooo cool."

Simone began chanting. It was not in any language Billy knew. It was a strange guttural chant that was almost worshipful of the 'white lady.' Billy just felt so strange, and wanted out. The heat from the flame felt greasy and wrong. So instead of approaching, he started to back away. 

"Adolf, grab him, " Simone spat, "We're too close. Don't be a baby Billy, this will only take a moment."

Gently, but not tenderly, Simone pricked his finger, letting a single drop fall into the flame. After all, the ritual had specified a drop. 

And then, another drop pulled from Billy's small wound, another, and another and another. Adolf and Simone held him tight with excited smiles. Power, surely would be theirs. Nick, however, looked on and felt sick. He just didn't have the courage to do anything. 

And soon the wound turned from trickle, to a think stream, while Billy struggled and Adolf covered his mouth to prevent the screams of pain and fear. In the midst of the fire, against all logic, ice began rising as a pillar. 

And soon, Billy paled and fell unconscious, as the flow continued, until finally, it trickled off and stopped. Adolf laid Billy down, and stepped aside with Simone in expectation. 

Suddenly, the ice pillar shattered, leaving a seven foot tall, stunning beauty of a woman with black hair and ruby red lips. She had the type of beauty that could cloud a person's mind to truth, especially if one wasn't particularly well acquainted with the concept. She was dressed in a long white dress, with mink stole on top. It looked a bit warm for Storybrooke. A lesser woman would have been sweating, but not this one. Instead she viewed them with dispassion, and moved her head a bit side to side as if studying them.

"Children," she said with a smile, "how lovely that you have brought me back. I am Empress Jadis, and Queen of Narnia by right and by conquest. Hmmm, the magic is different here. Where am I?"

Simone curtseyed to Jadis, "I am Simone, that's Adolf and Nick. You're in the town of Storybrooke, which is our home in the World Without Magic. I think the locals call it Earth."

Nick said, a bit fearfully, "Will Billy be alright?"

Jadis turned her head to Billy's pale form, lying on the grass. Dropping gracefully to his side she examined him, giving a light wave of her wand. Then she said, "Oh, he's resting. Magic of the sort that will summon me is often exhausting. Don't worry, he'll be fine."

And indeed, to look upon him now, he seemed to be breathing, albeit quite shallowly.

"My, but you look so famished. Poor brave children, you've had quite the ordeal. I know," Jadis said, clapping her hands cheerfully, twirling her white dress a bit as she did, "you deserve a treat! Tell me, what is your favorite food and drink."

The children quickly huddled and turned around with their decision. Simone, as the ringleader, looked up with her dirty jeans, green shirt, and said, "Ohh we'd like soda, pizza and ice cream!" 

"And so you shall have!" Jadis exclaimed cheerfully, reaching into her stole and produced a small silver cordial. She tipped it and allowed three small drops to fall from it. Each drop hit the ground with a hiss, transforming into a piping hot pepperoni pizza on a silver platter, a massive bottle of soda and silver goblets, and of course, the most delightful looking silver bowl of ice cream with scoop, bowls and silver spoons. 

The children happily and greedily dug in, helping themselves to the lovely treats. Jadis watched graciously for a time, and waited until they stuffed themselves and nothing was left.

"While he recovers, tell me stories of yourself, and how you came to be here?" Jadis asked when they finished eating.

And Simone began her tale. Of course, Nick and Adolf were all too eager to interject. And while they talked, Prince Charming would face his greatest fear. and Rumpelstiltskin's son Baelfire, or Neal in this world return to Storybrooke. 

@~>~~

Simone spoke of how she grew up as a small child in the Enchanted Forest. Compared to Storybrooke, life in the Enchanted Forest was hard. Her family fed themselves, usually, from what they could harvest from their small farm.

Her tale was all too typical for that age. Children were to work at the chores they were given. Disobedience meant quick pain. But, even at her young age, two women stood out in her mind. The Queen, Regina, who had the one thing she didn't, and Snow White, who dared to oppose her.

Queen Regina had magic. Regina could use her magic to do as she wished. She could teleport, enchant things and people, she was royalty and had soldiers.

Simone had a little goat that followed her around until Regina's black knights came and demanded yearly taxes for the third time that year. Then the family had to eat and Simone no longer had a goat to follow her around.

So she ran away, and tried to bargain with Rumpelstiltskin for magic. He sized her up, pattered her on the head and said, "Sorry Dearie, yah haven't got anything I'd want. Go home."

She wasn't quite crazy enough to try to steal it from him at that time. 

Nick was quick to agree. Stealing from the Dark One was always a bad idea, but he did like the idea of gold. Simone shushed him so she could continue.

So she admired Snow White, the plucky rebel and her friends who fought against the Queen. But, the problem with rebels was they were very good at hiding. So much so, that she had no idea where to find them. 

Adolf chimed in, saying how cool it was that Snow White's best friend was a werewolf, and that he wished he was one, too.

With the certainty of a child who really had no idea how complicated life can get and after thumping both Adolf and Nick for their interruptions, she said she was sure that if she'd had real power why she'd make much better use of it and wouldn't curse a bunch of people out of spite like Regina had. Well, unless they really deserved it.

And if that wasn't enough to make a girl feel a bit cheated, then Emma arrived. It was unfair enough that Regina got to keep all her magic, and Rumpelstiltskin got all his back. But to add to that, Snow White's daughter, lost to this world three decades ago looked to be developing magic of her own. Add to that Regina's Mother had terrorized the town too, with her magic, and Simone had only what she'd figured out. How unfair was that?

Nick picked up his story.

Not every miner is a Dwarf, it's just they're the best known, and have a knack for getting the good stuff. His family's mines concentrated on good old iron and coal. The Queen needed steel and the rebels needed steel. 

The problem was that at the end of the day, the Queen had to have her taxes, didn't she? And most peasants were just that, so they barely had enough to scrape out eating, and didn't have the money for a fancy new steel tool, even if their farm needed it rather badly. 

Worse, there were always Dwarves who could get the iron and coal cheaper, so it was a battle to find a market for their goods, painstakingly dug from the ground.

And wolves are awesome, Adolf interjected, to be shushed by the other two. 

Nick knew what he wanted. He wanted gold, and he wanted to be able to find and get those precious metals. Wealth would make things better, wouldn't it? But he didn't know how to find them, or how to get them, so his family still lived broke. Of course, things got no better when they got to Storybrooke, did they? When they got here, they ended up living in a little house, rented from Mr. Gold and his dad worked just has hard here for just as little.

It was not fair, in Nick's humble. And he felt it was only fair that he get what was his. 

Then it was Adolf's turn. Adolf's family herded sheep. Adolf didn't like sheep, but wolves were awesome. They were all sneaky and stealthy and smart. Dogs were loyal, and helpful, but wolves were awesome.

Adolf wanted more than anything to be a shape shifter. Like Snow White's friend, Ruby, or Red Riding Hood. Red Riding Hood was cool in battle, in Adolf's opinion, because she was able to turn herself into the big bad wolf. But in Adolf's mind, wolves were awesome and he wanted to be one. Especially now that they'd drank all the soda, ate all the pizza, and the ice cream was a sticky memory.

He'd only seen Red Riding Hood in combat as the wolf once, and wasn't aware that one of the first things she'd done as a wolf was made a meal out of her True Love, because she could not control the wolf.

@~>~~

During the conversation, Jadis had settled onto a nearby log, regally watching and listening. If she seemed more interested in the parts of Storybrooke than she was of their tales of want, perhaps she could be forgiven. 

She smiled softly and said, "Such bright children. I will make your dreams come true, but I fear I need time to bring it to pass. Magic is... complicated, and I need time to study the magic of this land, as it is not completely the Land without Magic, nor is it purely the Enchanted Forest you told me of. Therefore, I need time to properly prepare gifts for such noble children. You will be kings and queens of this world, if you want."

At the slight downcast looks, she said brightly, "Three days should do it! Surely you can wait three days for your dreams. And let's keep my presence our secret. After all, Dark Ones and Witches can be So territorial, and I wouldn't want to impose."

"What about Billy?" Nick asked again.

"Oh such a wise child. Not to worry. I will tend to him and send him on home when he feels better," Jadis replied. Simone held up her golden device, which clearly showed the runes for truth. 

The children looked excited as they left. Jadis watched them go, and then let out a low sigh.

And then, when sure there was no one to hear, she raised her head skyward and screamed, "I Beat you! I beat you, you cursed, wretched horrid monster! You beat death, but I beat you! I won, this realm will be mine, and that Earth you sent those wretched children from to vex me will be mine!" 

She stalked up to Billy and waved her hand. Billy's true form was revealed, as it had been covered by a subtle illusion. He had died with the loss of his last drop of blood. For you see, her ancient plea of "just one drop" was true. But like all black magic, a life was required for a life, just ask Regina's mother or Rumpelstiltskin 's son. So in order for her to live, she had to take his last drop. Not that she cared particularly. Still, there was a body to dispose of.

She uttered a sharp word and gestured to the body, which shivered a moment like struck gong and disintegrated. There was no sign that there had ever been a body there, save for a calculator watch with a broken band, lying on the ground, which even Jadis' keen eyes missed. Magic like that had never been seen on Earth before. The last world that held it was called Charn.

Jadis smiled a simple dark smile. There was much to do, and much to prepare.

@~>~~

While one witch's plot began another's was a maturing, bathed in hatred and jealousy. However, even a Wicked Witch's plot can hit a snag. And Zelena's just did. For while she was away, Neal, whose life force was sharing Rumpelstiltskin's body, was able to take control long enough to throw a hitch into her carefully laid plans. For while the Dagger of the Dark One controlled the Dark One, or Mr. Gold, it had no influence over Neal. And Mr. Gold had returned from the dead at great cost, his son Neal or Balefire, tricked into enacting the resurrection ritual. That time, Rumpelstiltskin made the right choice, and saved his son instead of grabbing the Dagger. Indeed, as his last act, Neal returned Mr. Gold to sanity and damaged Zelena's plans. But that is another story. 

This is the story of what caused Zelena to be away at the wrong moment. Her plot with Prince Charming was a success, the hilt of his sword hers, but then someone caused an unexpected delay.

Jadis had begun to explore the borders of Storybrooke. She simply dragged her hand along the veil that separated the magic land with the less than magical world that surrounded it. 

Of course, when someone is trying to keep people in, playing with a border is bound to cause unexpected trouble. In this case, trouble took the form of a Flying Monkey. 

It swooped and shrieked at her, turned mid air and flew to attack. One does not shriek at the Empress Jadis. And in her view, nothing dare strike at her. So she drew her wand from her cloak and quickly cast one of her favorite spells. 

The monkey, wings and all turned instantly to stone, which turned a nice glide path into a steep drop, and promptly buried half of itself with a thoroughly undignified thump in the ground. 

Jadis stopped, looked over the Monkey with a thoughtful look. With a dramatic puff of green smoke, Zelena appeared in her full Wicked Witch glory. 

"Who dares turn one of My Precious to Stone in what is to be My Town?" Zelena said with scenery chewing wrath, "This is the second time someone has turned them into something and that was my sister's doing. I won't be having that again."

"I am Jadis, Empress of Charn, rightful Queen of Narnia. And who, pray tell are you?" Jadis responded drawing up to her full, terrifying height.

"I am Zelena, and dear, I'm the Wicked Witch of the West and you are in my territory. Are you thinking you'll get a spot of tea from me after what you've done?"

"Tea? I was defending myself from your pet. How dare your pet attempt to lay paw on me?!?"

"My don't you have many titles, my fancy dear, " Zelena tittered. "Well you aren't important to my plans. What if I make you join my monkeys?"

Jadis snarled, "Oh I don't think so. You'll find I am far too powerful for your petty transforming magic. But if you try, I shall certainly make you regret it."

"Oh really now! I am the most powerful dark witch of this age," Zelena tittered again, and said, "How do you propose to do that?"

"In Charn, we had a word. The Deplorable Word, do you know of it?"

"Oh, it sounds dreadfully unimportant," Zelena tittered in response.

Jadis responded in a flat, direct tone, "It's quite simple really. With a word. Everyone in town dies. Including you."

Zelena stopped cold. Witches were thoroughly untrustworthy with each other. They would lie, bluff, cheat and deceive. And that was with other witches they actually liked. However, one thing they tended to be very up front about was relative power. It simply saved time. Otherwise they'd feel the need to test each other, and if one exaggerated or understated, things could work out very badly. Besides, Jadis didn't seem the type to exaggerate power, which was even more worrisome. Still, every situation can be turned to her advantage.

"Maybe we should have tea and have a talk, " Zelena said in a much more conciliatory tone.

"Parley, " Jadis said with a touch of imperiousness, "Oh all right, by ancient rules of hospitality, I grant parley. What are your plans here?"

Some conventions hold because they're convenient. Zelena, as the declared land holder went first, "Oh I'm going to take all the 'Evil Queen' has by a grand spell I've come up with."

"Interesting, " Jadis responded calmly, "And here I was just thinking how I might conqueror this whole realm. Save the land called England. That I plan on burning. Who is this 'Evil Queen'? I am a bit new here, and quite honestly have yet to understand all the players."

"Oh feh, she's my little sister, Regina. They call her Regina Mills here. But to take over a land you would need an army, wouldn't you?" Zelena tittered, "Sounds dreadfully over complicated. My plan is much simpler. So how did you get here?"

Jadis contemplated this for a moment and spoke, "Oh that, one of my hag's spell books ended up in your Rumpelstiltskin's possession. How, I haven't the faintest, and there it was liberated into capable hands." 

"Well then, what shall we do...." Zelena said with a slight pout.

"Again, we can end this all right now, and I can find my army another way, or you can tell me what this spell of yours entails. I promise I won't tell anyone."

Zelena contemplated this for a moment. It sounded likely true. Most witches dearly loved getting the edge on others and she was sure she had the edge on this Jadis creature. She already had two pieces of the four already set up and in her possession, so she had a head start. Besides, this Jadis struck her as far too dense to understand the intricacies of great magic. Opting for the truth, she said, "I am going to go back in time and rewrite history so I am the caster of the first curse." 

Jadis said in measured tone, "Then I don't see a need for conflict at this time. Our interests diverge. I have no interest in time travel, and you have no interest in this world."

Zelena smiled, tittered, and said, "Oh right! If I fail, then I am no danger to your plans, but should I succeed, you won't even know that I've succeeded. And you want to be left alone to your machinations. So what do I get out of it?"

"I will leave your pets alone, unless they attack me. In which case they will suffer the same fate as this one. Stone it will remain. Let's call it the foolish one's tax, shall we? I leave your plans alone for those bombastic moralizers who assume their petty rules apply to the likes of us, and simply develop my own plots and you stay out of my plans. Specifically, for now, you will leave the children Simone, Adolf, and Nicholas alone." 

"Oh fine! Deal, I swear by all the usual powers and such," Zelena said.

What a fool, Zelena thought, for when she succeeded she would be sure to leave the means by which this Jadis had come to Storybrooke behind. And then, Zelena turned to green smoke to return to her lair.

What a fool, Jadis thought, for Zelena clearly didn't know why no wizard or witch ever cast a time travel spell. The problem with time travel spells was not the fear of altering the past, for no wizard would particularly care about that. Instead it is that to cast it required giving up one's mortal form as it was at that time, and worse yet, someone else had to guide the spell. No witch or wizard worthy of the name would ever let someone else guide such power and such potential. So they moralized, and made excuses about how dangerous it was to play with fate. With that, she hefted the statue in one hand and disappeared into her own cloud of sooty gray smoke.

Of course, both had missed something. Fate was far more observant than either gave them credit for, and had a fine sense of humor. 

Zelena would return to find the Dark One gone and not answering his dagger's summons. The fruits of this would reveal her identity to a pregnant Snow White and her allies, ultimately cost Neal his life, and set Mr. Gold on a very dark path. 

@~>~~

Ms. Aveline would never know what drew her to town that night. But she saw the gathering of the townsfolk. Loudly they argued, loudly they debated. And then the Wicked Witch arrived. First, she and Mayor Mills argued, then they fought. Ms. Regina Mills, the town mayor (for life apparently) and this witch went at it with fire, anger, and somehow, throwing each other around with unseen forces. The fight ended with the clock tower's face broken, and Regina Mills eventually stomping out of the tower looking incredibly upset and the rest of the townsfolk gathered around. Mrs. Aveline was reasonably sure that she had not been seen there.

"Imposs...." Mrs. Aveline started to say, but it drained away from her lips. And then something else happened. She cried, hard and passionately and deeply. 

"Oh Lu.. am I seeing things? Is this true? Did I lie to myself all these years?"

As her eyes cleared of their tears, the crowd was disbursing, the clock face was still quite broken, but there was no sign of either the Mayor or the Witch. She could have told herself that she hadn't seen what she'd seen. She could have pretended it was a trick of light. 

"Well, I don't know if I believe it or not yet. But, if I recall our tales as children. I was an archer of some skill. I think it's time I see if I remember how. If' it's all games and silliness surely I am sure to be a wretched shot, " Mrs. Aveline told herself. 

The next morning, Mrs. Aveline headed to the hardware store. She had thought it odd that the local hardware store stocked longbows and crossbows, rather than the more modern firearms most stores carried. But if the town was magical, well it stood to reason that they'd stock bows. She bought one and a quiver of twenty arrows, and a rather basic target. One of those with the yellow bulls eyes in the middle. 

She picked up the bow, and found she had the strength to draw it back, her hands didn't shake like she expected, instead it was steady and smooth. She released and with a painful thwack against her arm, the arrow spun off into the woods. Mrs. Aveline shouted in anger and pain, "Oh SUGAR. What was I thinking?!?'

As she stormed away from the target in her moment of silliness she was struck by a quiet still thought. That maybe.. just maybe she should try again. In frustration, anger, and feeling futile, she spun around, angrily knocked an arrow and fired without thinking. She turned just as quick to stomp off back to her cabin. 

Then she stopped, turned around, and saw a sight that would brought the word 'impossible' to her lips.

She saw the target with an arrow stuck dead center in the bulls eye.

@~>~~

It was war in Storybrooke. Mary Margret's child had come, and Zelena had kidnapped him. She wanted the innocent child for the final piece of her time travel spell. While Emma, Hook, David, Robin of Locksley, and Regina went to confront her and the Dark One, other things were happening.

Granny's was a combination of diner and for 28 years, un-rented rooms for rent. Of course, that promptly changed with Emma's first arrival. Right now, it was empty. not even Granny and her trusty crossbow were around. 

In the back, past the washing machine, a latch lifted seemingly on it's own and the muffled thump of not quite stealthy feet entered the store, past the washing machines up into the back kitchen area. 

"So where is it?" Said voice from nowhere that sounded very much like Adolf's far too loudly.

Two other voices quickly and just as noisily shushed the first voice.

"C'mon Nick, where is it, I'm bored, " said the voice again, in something almost but not quite entirely unlike a whisper.

"I got it, I got it... it's in the kitchen. I found that stupid wand right?" said Nick in a much better approximation of a whisper. 

"It's not stupid, " hissed a feminine voice defensively. It was probably Simone.

The sound of movement continued into the kitchen area, almost past a large, precariously piled set of pots which promptly fell over with a resounding crash. If Granny had been home, she'd have been there in a flash.

"I didn't do it!" Three voices cried out as one, followed by noisy bickering and shushing sounds

"Hang on, I told you I'd find it, didn't I? Well there it is!" said Nick's voice triumphantly, and too loudly for a stealth mission.

"Umm..... where Nick.. I can't see where you're pointing," said Adolph's voice.

A simple cauldron of black iron lifted itself off out of the pile on the floor and brandished itself triumphantly.

"See, " said an invisible Nick, " I got it."

"Fine," said the equally invisible Simone far too loudly, "Let's just go!"  
With a noisy dash, the pot banged it's way out of the shop, where, with a puff of orange smoke, Simone who was holding a rather fancy wand and had a raven perched on her shoulder, Nick with golden apple in hand and Adolf appeared. 

"Give it to Adolph already. He can run it to her ladyship," Simone ordered, and Nick handed the cauldron over to Adolph, who reached down and touched the wolf headed buckle of his belt. Black smoke formed around him, and in the shadows, it appeared he twisted and bent into a large, black haired, wolfish creature, who now had the cauldron in his mouth. 

As he loped away in excitement, Simone hid her wand and Nick his apple, and went to go see what was happening in town.


	4. Chapter 4 "Wolf in the Fold"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jadis' plots move forward and Zelena is thwarted in hers. Mr. Gold finds himself dealing with a mysterious opponent. And Emma meets a lion.

@~>~~

Several days earlier, Ruby ran as a wolf. Having regained who she was and regained her connection to her wolf, she could now. Her friends were safe, and if she caught one of those accursed flying monkeys, that would be the end of one of the town's pests. Wolves do not play with their prey. They kill them. 

Then, she spotted a simple hare, out and about. Her wolf side hungered, and well, it wasn't like she minded letting the wolf out to hunt. So into the woods she ran after it. The hare hopped away deeper into the woods. It was great sport. 

Until she leapt onto ground that wasn't and fell through, knocking her head against the rocks in the bottom.

Sooty gray smoke flowed up from the little white hare and formed into the stunningly beautiful form of Jadis. With a wave of her hand, the spot where Ruby had fallen became a pit in the earth.

Seeing Ruby's unconscious wolf form at the bottom, Jadis commented to herself, "Well that saves me the hassle."

Jumping in, Jadis cut a lock of Ruby's fur and tucked it next to a mockingbird's feather, and then simply threw the wolf over her shoulder and climbed out. She walked a ways along the path they had both previously come, and gently laid the wolf down against a rock. With a simple gesture she vanished into a sooty gray cloud.

@~>~~

Even shops like Mr. Gold's require organization from time to time, or at least that's what Belle told herself. However, as she was doing inventory, she noticed something most definitely new in the back of a the shop. It was large, box shaped, and covered in a heavy, protective cloth. Attached to the side was a packing slip. Belle's curiosity got the better of her. She looked it over, but found it somewhat illegible. So she put it aside, and then grasped and pulled the protective cloth off. As it slid aside, it revealed a wardrobe.

It was a beautiful apple wood wardrobe. Unlike most examples, it had a single, full sized door in the middle with the rest of the box made to look as pillars to either side to hold hinges and hasp. It was hand-built and carved. Marco, who was also known as Gepetto, would have been proud of the hand carved apple tree that made up the top half of the door and the intricate scrollwork on the posts. She went to check the packing slip again when she heard a crash and the distinctive sounds of Regina's anger coming from the main room. With a sigh of frustration, and putting it aside, Belle went to go see what was going on. 

Meanwhile, Jadis had come to Storybrooke's graveyard She had her own agendas to pursue. With her usual resourcefulness, she had acquired the materials for the promised items. Much to her annoyance, she had been forced to make a quick raid of Regina's crypt vaults for a couple of the ingredients.

She walked among the snow covered tombstones, and sat before the first. With quick, well practiced motions, she laid out the body of a dead gray feathered mocking bird, her raven feather, and several red crystals. She then laid out a simple leather belt, the tufts of fur taken from Ruby, which she surrounded with small mirrors. The final was a single apple, made of gold, acquired in secret from Mr. Gold's pawn shop, surrounded by green crystals and Iron Pyrite. 

She chanted, low and practiced. The knowledgeable would have shuddered at what she was doing. The wise might have sought to stop it. But they were not there so no one did. So she chanted and around each item dark smoke formed. Her chant cadence changed, between badgering, cajoling and threatening. The smoke whirled and swirled. The mockingbird's feathers turned black, and it sat up and squawked as a raven. A second wave of blackness descended into the belt, and the belt buckle changed to that of a wolf's head. The final swirled around the first piece of fruit Midas ever touched, swirling in and absorbed, tarnishing the gold to near black.

The final item was a small vial. It remained empty, but glinted a bit in the winter's light. She contemplated and slightly regretted that she did not have a worthy opponent. Perhaps if that Dark One was still around, she could play games with him.

Then she arose and vanished into a sooty cloud of smoke to meet the children. After all, good pawns were hard to come by.

@~>~~

Storybrooke neared war. Zelena was putting her final plan into action, with the Dark One as her puppet to allow her plan to come to pass. And Jadis waited patiently for the children to arrive. In the chaos of that day, it is forgivable that three children were able to slip away.

Jadis remained confident, for the spell would fail, she was sure of it. Soon, she'd have her generals, and she would prepare her armies, and Storybrooke would be hers, and then this world. After all, it was she was owed.

As they arrived, she had a little feast laid out for them. With her most gracious smile, she greeted them, "Nick, Adolf, and Simone, how nice to see you again. Oh I have missed your company. Do tell me what has been going on since we last saw each other?"

They spoke of how Regina and Zelena, a new witch, was apparently her sister and they'd had a rather large fight.

"Ah, sibling rivalry, I know it well," Jadis said in distant memory, not letting on that she was already aware of Zelena's and Regina's troubled relationship.

The children looked curious, but she waved them to continue as they ate with gusto. Apparently, the whole town had been returned to this world as a gambit to stop her more powerful dark magic. Jadis was amused at the awe in their voices. Well, she was about to impress them in a way that Zelena would never think of doing. Of course, Jadis also made sure she'd mostly benefit from the gifts she would be giving. The other piece of big news was the return of 'the Dark One', Mr. Gold, under Zelena's control. Well that was a problem with a couple of solutions. The easiest being to simply enact the Deplorable Word, and make sure to acquire the dagger. The rest of the conversation was all personal things. To her it was drivel she did not care about. 

Jadis smiled to the children and said, "Well, I did promise gifts upon your return."

"For you, dear Simone, first a truth, all magic is a long and arduous task. For that, you will need a familiar to advise you and help you practice, as did your Regina, " Jadis ended with a lie. She could have taken the time to teach Simone herself, but she did not wish to, besides the girl had no worthwhile talent. She'd make a fine device wizard though.

"Now, please give me your hand to bond yourself to your new familiar," Jadis said. She slid the black raven feather into Simone's hand.

With a wave of her hand, greyish black smoke swirled to reveal a black raven. She said, "I give to you Haveronger, your familiar, or Daemon in more proper terminology. As with all such spirits, he will stay with you constantly, and is bound to and ultimately an expression of your soul in physical form, so do your best not to break him."

It is amazing how many lies can be put into one sentence. But, the subject flitted over and landed next to Simone and squawked, "Greetings great witch, Simone, we have so much to do! "

Simone and Haveronger promptly fell to whispering and discussing things. Jadis chose to ignore this, for evil witches often had the tendency to ignore things that did not directly impact them or provide some advantage. 

"Moving on... Adolf, for you I have this fine belt, enchanted so when you lock the hasp and focus on being the wolf, you will transform into a wolf. To release it back to mortal form, just imagine yourself unclasping it." 

Adolf grasped the belt with excitement and was quick to slide it around his waist. As he was about to lock the hasp behind the wolf's head, Jadis said, "Now becoming a wolf can be a bit painful, but I am sure you are strong enough, and of course, the wolf will often influence the changed, but you'll just have to resist the darker urges."

Adolf was half listening as he locked on the belt and changed. It was not the quick change Red had. No, it was slower, and it felt as if his heart had stopped, every muscle in his body torn asunder, and every bone broken as black smoke formed around him. But in the end, he looked very much like a wolf. His wolf was a human sized, hulking, black furred, and had reddish eyes. His tongue lolled out with the pure joy of it, and then he turned and leapt to pursue an animal he smelled among the trees. 

Jadis ignored the wolf for now, turning at last to young Nick. She said, "So, young Nick, now we have to give you your gift."

She proffered the enchanted apple, saying, "With this apple, as long as you hold it close, it will draw wealth to you. Gold and riches will find it's way to you, or you can use it to search out things you desire."

Nick grabbed it up and looked very excited. 

"Thank you," He said. Then he looked quizzical and said, "I never did see Billy, do you know what happened to him?"

"Oh, I fear Zelena must have gotten him, I am sad to say. Not to worry, I will put it to rights, " Jadis lied effortlessly.

Nick believed her and turned his attention to the apple.

"So how does this work, exactly?"

"Often the largest challenge in life is finding what you're looking for. Close your eyes, envision the item you want. Then hold the apple, and it'll draw you to it," Jadis explained.

Nick did, and visualized. After a moment, he walked a few feet, and stopped. He brushed away some leaves, and while it was rusted and old, it was still a sword. He picked it up with a happy smile. 

"Children, " Jadis said raising her voice, "Come to me for a moment. I wish to share with you my vision of what is to come."

Reluctantly, Simone stopped her conversation with Haveronger, Nick stopped waving the rusted and pitted sword around in fine Flynning fashion, and Adolf loped back in from the woods and sat down. After a moment, he even reverted back to human form.

Jadis arose with grace and spoke to them, "It is your time. We will remake this town together. And we will make it fair. You will be my princes and princess. And I have such plans. No more neglect, no more being forgotten."

The children leaned forward in excitement. Being told one is special in a world determined to prove the opposite can have that effect, especially in a town with real queens and princesses.

"To that end, " Jadis continued, confident that she had them, "We shall need an army. Fortunately, Regina, in her arrogance brought me one. Nick, your special gifts will be key to what's ahead. I know you can do this. in fact, it'll be easy."

Jadis continued, and explained, in broad terms what she needed them to fetch, before sending them on their way.

In the end, Jadis was right, and then ultimately wrong about Zelena's time travel spell.

@~>~~ 

Victory came to Storybrooke. Zelena, the Wicked Witch of the West was defeated. At a high cost, in many ways. Little John almost lost his head over the incident, but then he had been a Flying Monkey. Emma was without her magic, or perhaps she'd just lost her confidence in it. 

It had been said that only powerful light magic could defeat the Wicked Witch. The Light magic had come from the most unexpected of sources. Regina Mills, the famed Evil Queen, had found in her love of her adopted son Henry the ability to harness and use Light Magic. But as Eustace Clarence Scrubb could attest, making a turn away from selfishness, conceit, and haughtiness is possible. Staying turned away from it is often an even greater challenge. Even if one has all the right reasons to make the change.

As Zelena had stolen her child moments after birth, Dr. Hopper and Dr. Whale both agreed that Mary Margaret needed some enforced bed rest for a few days for her own good. Which probably makes the first time Jiminy Cricket and Dr. Frankenstein agreed on anything. Enforced bed rest, in this case, required one of the seven dwarves to stand guard so she wouldn't get the urge to go running off on an adventure. David was with her, being helpful. Well, more or less.

In Mr. Gold's shop, Belle and Rumpelstiltskin reunited. It was a tender moment, and the Dark One's dagger appeared to have been entrusted to Belle as a symbol of love. Some people are better with symbols than they are with truth.

He then suggested an evening out, and Belle happily agreed, but of course, she wanted to grab her shawl as it was a bit cold out. So while she went into the back room to grab it, Rumpelstiltskin turned and took in his domain. it was then he noticed the chess set, with the three pieces set aside. 

"How odd, I do not recall leaving it that way, " he said.

"Oh well, an invitation is an invitation, perhaps. Besides, that is a rather severe handicap," he said, advancing the red pawn in front of the king two squares in a classic opening move towards White's side, which was short it's queen, bishop, and a knight.

Moments later Belle appeared, ready to go but looking slightly pensive.

"What is it, my dear?" Rumple inquired gently.

"Oh, it can keep, my dear Rumple, let's have a nice night."

And so they did. 

But in another part of Storybrooke, things were not so joyous. Zelena found herself locked in a cell without her magic, and Jadis had been outside of the barn, watching the showdown, disguised as a large rock. She might also have turned a few of the flying monkeys to stone to help turn things in the heroes' favor, but that would be interfering, which she promised not to do. Of course, beings like Jadis think nothing of lying to others.

Now, she stood in the darkness in the barn, inspecting the ritual. The cornerstones had been taken, but yes it would work upon Zelena's impending accident. Jadis had learned enough of the Dark One to have a fairly good idea on what he'd do next and was smart enough to imagine that Zelena was counting on it, clearly ignorant of the problem of time travel spells. So, with a touch of patience, she dug up a small silver scale in the center of the ritual ring, and put it in that glinting vial. She quietly spoke a few ancient words of Charn power, and it glowed green for a moment. 

As she headed out, Haveronger landed nearby, and did the bird equivalent of a deep bow. 

"So?" Jadis said with a touch of annoyance.

"She has moved the piece as instructed," the raven like bird replied.

"Good, and her 'training'?"

"Oh, she's a fine device wizard, she's got a gift for wands, really. With a bit more refined training she could be something." 

"Well that's something useful. Did you see anything else of use?"

"Oh yes, quite a bit. Ruby is unaware of what you've done, and this town's so called "Savior" Emma, is the natural mother of the child Henry, who is the adopted son of Regina Mills. He is also the grandson of the Dark One. Might be useful as a bargaining chip. I swear, it's like all the people of power in this town are related."

"It's common for royalty to keep family relations close. Now, I have another task for you, " Jadis continued, explaining Simone's next mission. 

As Haveronger flew off, Jadis smiled, sat back, and waited, watching the vial with patient interest.

Later that night, after Belle had retired, Rumpelstiltskin returned to the shop for a moment. Briefly he toyed with putting aside his revenge. There he surveyed the chess set, and noticed that one of the pawns had been moved on White's side. 

"Oh very well, Dearie, you'll find I'm better than that, " he said advancing one of his knights. Then he disappeared into a cloud of black smoke.

While it is another story, it does bear in on this one. Rumpelstiltskin stabbed Zelena with the real Dagger of the Dark One in revenge for the death of his beloved son, Balefire, or Neal as he was known in our world. In many respects, she died, turning first to porcelain, then to dust, which vanished.

In Regina's vault, the drawer containing the Wicked Witch's Emerald necklace released green smoke which flew towards the barn and the remnants of her time travel spell. 

But they didn't make it there just yet. Instead, they swirled and turned pulled unavoidably into the small vial Jadis held. Once it was all in she calmly capped it, shook the vial with the smoke trapped within.

"Not just yet, my dear. The stopper only comes out when I die," Jadis said bemusedly. Has it not been mentioned that witches like Jadis lie?

When Rumpelstiltskin returned to his shop and home, he found another chess piece had been moved.

@~>~~

For Emma Swan, adapting to the nature of Storybrooke was often a challenge. Some days, it seemed that the city just liked to throw a story based curve ball at her, just to mess with her.

Today was one of those days. 

Emma went into the sheriff's office, like she did most mornings when things were quiet. The desk stood as it always did, opposite the two cells, one of which the Wicked Witch had recently vacated, rather terminally. It is probably a testament to how much she had been through that the massive Lion sitting patiently in front of her desk didn't inspire fear, confusion, or even much surprise. In fact, her first question was how an animal the size of an elephant had gotten into her office.

The Lion was massive, bigger than any lion she'd ever seen. His head nearly brushed the ceiling, his mane golden and beautiful. And he did not have the look of an animal that had ever seen captivity, rather he looked wild, free, and dangerous. Only the eyes gave her a moment of pause. They had depths of great sadness and joy within them, as if they had seen great triumphs and tragedy. He was, in a word, beautiful.

Emma reached for her trademark sarcasm and said, "Great, so what, now the Cowardly Lion comes for a visit?"

The Lion laughed. It was a cascade of deep and powerful joy. There was no malice or meanness about it, simply mirth.

"I do believe, Emma Swan, daughter of Snow White and Prince David, that is the first time someone has called me cowardly," the Lion said.

Hadn't this town thrown her enough curveballs? From learning that her mother and father were 'that' Snow White and Prince Charming, her child having been adopted by 'that' Evil Queen, dating 'that' Captain Hook, and having had to fight everything from Malicefant, to Peter Pan, to most recently, the Wicked Witch of the West. And now, the town seemed to have gifted her with a ridiculously knowledgeable lion. Finally, with only just a touch of her sarcastic nature she said, "So what can the Storybrooke police department do for you today?"

The Lion replied, "I am here to report a theft."

Emma frowned and gave a deep sigh, "Okay then... What got stolen?"

"Mr. Gold's pawn shop has lost two small items. A golden magical device, and a book of spells. From the Convent of Fairies, two wands, and finally, I believe Granny is missing a cauldron," the Lion spoke calmly. 

She dug into her desk, finding a pad of blank police reports, just like would be in any small town police officers' desk. She looked up and said, "What name shall I file it under?"

She said it to an empty office, for the Lion had vanished. Emma tried to be surprised, she really did, but it all fit. 

"Seriously?!? Okay, I guess I file that under Anonymous."

But a lead was a lead, and Mr. Gold probably wouldn't lie about it. Well okay, maybe, possibly? She picked up and holstered her gun, and headed out to pay Mr. Gold a visit.

@~>~~

In the mines under Storybrooke, the dwarves often toiled, looking for the diamonds to make fairy dust. It kept coming up as a useful item to have, so they would dig for it. The dwarves of the Enchanted Forest would whistle while they worked, moving endless stone for what they needed.

And while they were quite good at finding it, they weren't always good at watching the products of their labors. For example, if an invisible pair of hands were to switch one bag for another that simply looked like it held what it should, but in fact held a bit of gravel found by the side of the road, they likely wouldn't notice for quite some time.

And of course, the sounds of pickaxes against rock, and shovels throwing unused rock into bins would cover the sounds of even the clumsiest of invisible thieves.

Meanwhile, in Mr. Gold's shop, Rumpelstiltskin was unhappy with the progress of the mysterious chess game, having lost two pawns and finding himself staring down the barrel of particularly nasty knight fork when Emma entered.

He looked up and greeted Emma with a mischievous slight smile, "Ms. Swan, is there something I can do for you today?"

"There's been a report of a theft from your shop by a lion," Emma said with a little bit of familiar annoyance, and perhaps taking a bit of her annoyance at Storybrooke in general out on him.

"A Lion? Not the Cowardly Lion, Surely?"

Emma Swan vibrated with the frustration, "I have been assured that he's anything but... And why do I feel like I should be putting 'He' in all capitals?"

"I haven't the foggiest Miss Swan. So what did this lion say was stolen?"

"He described it as a golden device of some sort, and book of spells."

Walking towards one of the shelves, Rumplestiltskin looked about, saying, "It has been a while since I have done inventory, but I recognize the device description. Did he happen to mention who the thief was?"

"He disappeared before he said."

Squatting down he looked over, and found the little hollow where the golden looking device had sat, now very empty. He then looked over amongst the books with an increasing sense of worry, and like all masters of chess, he considered the consequences of what he did next. He could call the lion a liar and claim nothing was missing, and take the chance that Emma's Super Power would detect the lie, which would spin off one set of actions and possibilities, or he might tell the truth, and have her wonder if he was lying, which opened a whole set of possibilities. Worse yet, if the lion was not the Cowardly One from Oz, then there were only a few talking lions known throughout the realms. And it would be a very bad idea to call one of them a liar.

So, he opted for some of the truth. "Yes, indeed. It appears I have had the items in question stolen. Ms. Swan, I must warn you, when you find the culprits do not use the golden device."

"Why is that, " Emma asked curious. A candid Rumplestiltskin was rare, so it probably meant he was hiding something else.

"You see, Ms. Swan. It shows you the truth. If you ever see a tale about it, it will always appear in the most self aggrandizing way, possibly in the title. But yes, it tells you the truth. Just long enough for you to trust it for guidance. Then it lies to you in a way guaranteed to lead you to heartache, loss, and destruction. It's creators were quite fond of that element. I suggest you find the thief quickly, and before I do," he ended with more than a bit of malice.

"Let me do my job, Mr. Gold, and we'll get your things back."

"Of course, Ms. Swan, " He said with the sincerity of Iron Pyrite in the hands of a gold collector. Emma left entirely unsatisfied with his promise, but determined to find the thieves first. 

Once she was gone, Rumplestiltskin moved his queen out of harms way. It would cost him his bishop, but it was worth it. Then, sure that everyone else was away, he drew the Dagger of the Dark One, and worked a fairly elementary spell. The former homes of the golden device, and the book glowed briefly, but so did something near his hidden, blood locked safe. Leaving aside the shelves for the moment, he knelt and realized it was a lock of hair. 

"My, someone wants to give me a little invitation. Okay Dearie, let's see who you are. But first..."

Rumplestiltskin made a few preparations. Then, with a puff of black smoke, he vanished from the shop.


	5. Chapter 5 "Of Mice, Men, and Cooking Pots"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rumpelstiltskin and Jadis finally meet, and Emma investigates the cauldron theft. Nick worries for his friends. Finally, Regina begins to reveal one of her own encounters with Narnia.

@~>~~

Nick was worried. As he shuffled his pile of trinkets, he watched as Adolf's wolf form ate a hare he'd caught, raw. Meanwhile, Simone and Haveronger were locked in a discussion that involved stealing more magic for the pile of shiny items they already had and weren't using, and then there was the next piece of Jadis' plan. 

Haveronger chirped and shuffled his blackish wings, "We must move forward with her ladyship's plans."

Adolf broke one of the little hare's bones in disinterest.

"Well, I don't know if it'll work. I mean she's been good to us, but do you really think she can outsmart the Dark One?" Nick said.

Simone said quietly, "but we've come so far, Nick. I am getting better every day with the wands, and it's not like we can turn back. We've got no choice."

It's an old lie, but a powerful one, and while Nick wasn't completely convinced, he wasn't willing to back out now. 

"Haveronger, so when the Dark One leaves his shop we're to do what again?" Simone asked.

"It's simple. We find our target, slip in the potion, and we're done. This is not hard. The potion won't harm it's target, merely shuffle the pawns in a way more useful to Queen Jadis' plans for Storybrooke."

@~>~~

When Emma entered Granny's, she found Regina quietly sipping a mug of coffee. Her son, Henry was at school at the moment, and a man who both vexed and enticed her, Killian Jones, better known as Captain Hook, happened to stroll in behind her. He was resplendent in black coat and silver hook. 

Emma grabbed a stool over by the counter and waited. Granny did not disappoint, dropping off a cup of hot chocolate with cinnamon in it. It was one of the things she loved about Storybrooke. Although of late she was beginning to question why she stayed.

"Hi Granny, " Emma began conversationally, as Killian slid onto a stool next to her, "so I had a strange visit today. Are you missing one of your pots, by some strange chance?"

"Oh drink your coca, and I'll go check," Granny replied as she headed into the back areas.

As Granny disappeared from sight, Regina turned in her oh so practical pantsuit, and said with just a touch of her rather fierce sarcasm, "So you're here about a pot? What sort of a visitor was it?"

Emma was really not in the mood so she bit back, "A talking Lion, and not the Cowardly One, I asked."

Regina got a momentarily surprised look, which turned into a much sharper look as she asked, ".... Describe that lion?"

"It was a lion the size of a small elephant, had a beautiful golden mane, and talked. Plus, he was annoyingly cryptic."

Killian playfully interjected, "Just how many talking lions do you know luv?"

"Just one, " Regina replied in a deadpan, "What can I say, Mother had a gift for making enemies."

@~>~~

Cora, the mother of the then Queen to be Regina, was indeed good at making enemies, up to and including the Dark One himself. Eventually, she'd die ironically, but just now, she was a healthy, ambitious, and very skilled at dark magic.

And so, when Lork the Bandit and his batch of thugs and miscreants showed up to threaten her estate (for she never thought much of her husband), Cora road forth haughtily, and met Lork in front of his army with her daughter at her side.

"Away with you Bandit, or face my power, " Cora uttered confidently. 

The bandits laughed and Lork stepped up. He was a misshapen lump of a man, bald and covered in scars, complete with a black eye patch and spiked armor. Even his sword had spikes. He said in a menacing voice, "Oh I should like to see ye try it."

Cora obliged with a gesture that should have turned him into a cockroach. It did absolutely nothing, not even a wisp of purple smoke, and Lork laughed a bitter and nasty laugh.

"Oh, I heard about ye, Cora. How ye use yer magic ta cheat, " he said. Then, raising his wrist and shaking a simple leather band, "However, an old friend of yours was more than willing ta make us a deal."

Cora spat under her breath, "Curse you, Rumplestiltskin."

Then in a much more sociable voice, she continued, "Well then, I can still escape and tell King Leopold, but that would be... messy. You like deals, how about we make one?"

Lork looked thoughtful, "Aye, Aye a deal then? Ohhh, I know, ye find a champion among yours and I chose one among mine, and they duel. Ye win, we leave, nae harm, nae foul. But when I win, I get yer treasure and yer pretty little daughter and assurance that his Kinginess will leave me be."

Cora didn't even bat an eye when she replied, "Then you have a deal. However, in fairness, give me seven days to find a proper champion."

Lork spat in his hand and extended it. Cora looked vaguely disgusted as she hesitantly shook on it.

@~>~~

At the edge of Storybrooke was a most improbable sight. It was the sight of a tall, gorgeous woman in white carrying the stone statue of a flying monkey. 

Empress Jadis put the statue down with annoyance and then looked over the statue with a critical eye. She had added a few changes. Around it's equator she had carved runes, with a massive single rune on the center it's chest, right above the heart.

Then she tapped her foot in irritation, for she hadn't thought the Dark One could possibly be this dense. It was a rather large invitation. He should have found it already. If not, well she supposed she could kidnap this Belle person.

Then with a puff of black smoke, her guest of honor appeared. He wore his black suit well, complete with purple handkerchief in the jacket pocket. He leaned on an elegant black cane with a silver pistol grip handle.

"Well hello Dearie, " Rumplestiltskin said with a quiet bit of menace. "I didn't catch the name when you visited my shop."

"I am Jadis, rightful Empress of Charn, and Queen of Narnia," she said, drawing herself up to her regal and impressive height. 

"My, two dead worlds, and no one left to argue. Doesn't sound like much of a kingdom, but they'll give anyone a title these days, won't they?"

"You irritate me, little man. Still, if you are patient for a moment, I might have something you will very much desire," Jadis said through clenched teeth, "or there's always the other option."

"Oh do continue, Dearie. I see you've got the rather rocky remnants of one of Zelena's pets, " Rumplestiltskin said, settling curiously on his cane. Then he pushed his hand out, fingers up, and said, "Oh now this should be interesting."

With one hand Jadis hefted, lifted and then threw the stone winged monkey over the border of Storybrooke, where it landed with an unimpressive thump.

Then with a calm step she walked over the border to the statue, where a small butterfly landed. She raised her wand, and pointed it at the butterfly, where it turned to stone. Then, with a move that involved a lot of hip and swirl of her dress, she turned towards Rumplestiltskin and said, "Now, shall we, oh Dark One, make a deal?"

Rumplestiltskin realized what she had done, she had found a way to expand the borders of Storybrooke, increasing the range of it's magic. Instead of leaving it, she would push out the borders until all the world was covered. He said, "Oh I see... And this would work with oh, say just the heart, wouldn't it?"

"Precisely, why waste a perfectly good slave if you don't have to? So here is my offer. Stay out of it. Don't hinder me in my plans. In exchange, I spare those you love, your Belle and Henry, is it? And once I have finished my conquest, you can have any one continent you want. Well save for England, which I'm going to burn to the ground."

"I don't believe that's a continent. Still, quite the offer, Dearie. Very well, I won't do anything against you directly. In exchange you leave both Henry and Belle completely alone."

"Betray me, Dark One, and you and everyone you love will regret it."

"Oh Dearie, a deal's a deal," he said, and vanished in a puff of black smoke.

Jadis returned to her plans and plots, confident that she'd gotten what she wanted. But she should have listened closer. For while he promised to not act directly against her, he never promised not to bring about her downfall.

@~>~~

Lork laughed as he returned to his camp after Cora and her lovely daughter left. He'd won already. With a bellow, "Where is that accursed Spaniard!?! She's brokered a deal, and time to win."

As Cora returned to the manor she seemed thoughtful. Regina knew her mother's moods, and ventured a question, "So mother, what shall we do now, send out one of your knights?"

"How are you getting along with young Snow White?"

"Oh, she's well enough for a small child, and she hasn't been too much trouble in her visit. Mother, you're not going to hurt her, are you?" Regina asked in concern, for the betrayal that would precede her choices to fall to the length and breadth of evil had yet to occur.

Cora laughed, "No, but this requires a delicate touch. And while you are many things, my dear daughter, you are not that annoying mix of incorruptible pure pureness that good just so loves. And that, is exactly what we need to use this"

With that, Cora produced her prize. It was a little white horn. The end opposite the mouthpiece had been carved in the shape of a lion. 

@~>~~

Simone reveled in her magic. She gestured with one of her wands over a little squirrel, and it grew to giant proportions in a cloud of smoke.

She smiled happily and then said with the voice of order, "Go get me that rock."

The squirrel looked at her with the look of an animal examining something an dismissing it as uninteresting. Then it tried to climb a tree.

Simone stamped her foot in irritation and tried again. The squirrel kept climbing. Then, with a resounding crack the tree fell over and deposited the giant squirrel to the earth with a resounding thump.

Simone stomped off in frustration away from her magic. A few minutes later there was another resounding crack and thump.

@~>~~

A very young Snow White followed along happily with Regina, whom she looked up to, into the hall. Cora was waiting for them sitting on a comfortable couch with two of her more burly guards standing nearby. On the end table, on a cushion was the small horn. 

Cora beckoned to Snow White and said with that sincerity that only the most dishonest mastered, "Come and sit by me, dear child."

Snow sat down, and with the innocence of a small child looked up at Cora, while swinging her legs under the couch.

Cora continued, "We have a problem, and I hoped that you might help me. Lork the bandit has invaded our lands. He seeks to destroy and pillage it. But we have maneuvered him into a duel. But to win it, we need a great warrior, and only you can help. Will you help me?"

"Sure! What do you want me to do?" Snow was innocent to the true nature of Regina's mother, and in general, a bit more trusting than she really should be. But then she was all of about ten years old, so it could be, perhaps, excused.

Cora reached be side and picked up the horn, showing it to Snow White. It was a beautiful affair made of ivory, carved such that the bell of the horn was the mouth of a lion. However, it had been altered by Cora, adding a ring of gold, carved in dark runes. 'Help of some sort will come' simply wasn't good enough for a witch of her stature. At least in her mind. She wanted a warrior, and that was what she would have. However, were she or Regina to sound the horn, the arriving warrior would be more apt to be a foe, and that simply wouldn't do. Thus, the ruse.

"All you need do, is remember the peril we face, and think of aid coming, and blow this horn. Simple really."

With that, Snow White lifted the horn to her lips, and blew forth a single note. 

@~>~~

On the outskirts of Storybrooke, Nick's heart sank. He felt wrong about trusting the lady. Her delicious meals tasted like lead on his lips. She'd said she'd return the boy they'd befriended, well more apt to say manipulated. And yet, Billy had not returned.

According to what he'd heard from the adults, all of the Wicked Witch of the West's magic should have ended when she died. And yet, Billy had not returned.

They hadn't been that far from town, and everyone knew how to stay off the borders. When he tried to talk to the others about it, Adolf hadn't cared, and Simone said he was being stupid to worry. And yet he worried, for Billy had not returned.

Finally, Nick breathed deep, lifted his magical apple, and said, "Find Billy."

With a tug, he headed into the wilderness.

@~>~~

As the tone of the horn died away and the rings of black magic added by Cora shattered away from the horn. Then there was a rush of blue smoke formed tall and high raising to the rafters, suggesting that what was summoned was giant. But, as the smoke died away before Cora, Regina, Snow White, and the obligatory guards, what remained was a rather waterlogged mouse about the size of a cat. Nearby a rapier stood thrust tip first into the stone, in a most improbable manner.

"Oh Bravo, Mother, " Regina said sarcastically, "I'm sure your great warrior will gnaw them to death."

One of the guards, feeling the opportunity to impress Cora, said in his thick, slightly dull voice, "Don't worry your ladyship, I'll squash that mouse."

But Snow had seen something in the mouse's eyes, something intelligent, as she tried to gasp out a 'no,' he raised his boot, and lowered it to stomp down.

Well that was his plan. It didn't work out that way. Quick as a flash, the mouse snatched the rapier with his tail, flicked it up to his paw, and just a quickly, stabbed into the crease of the armored boot he was standing on, where it was weak. He responded the way most people do when they have a sharp pain in the foot. He tried to yank it up and ram the other one down for stability. So the mouse put the rapier upright, and let him impale his descending foot on it. And again, he reacted by trying to yank his other foot up, resulting his falling to the ground. The mouse leapt up, caught onto his armor and scaled him before he hit the ground.

The guard ended his grand gesture flat on his back with the tip a sharp sword pressed against the vein in his neck and looking into the eyes of a very upset mouse. In retrospect, it probably was not his finest moment.

The mouse spoke to Cora, "May I assume this rude person is your servant?"

While Snow White looked about as happy as a child finding on Christmas morning that Santa Claus had come and left her a room full of toys, Cora hid her shock and surprise masterfully and said, "I am Cora, mistress of this estate. I apologize, my guard was simply... overzealous. He shall be dealt with appropriately. To whom do I have the honor of addressing?"

The mouse, without removing his sword, or the pressure on the man's vein, bowed politely, "I am Reepicheep, knight formerly in service to King Caspian, in service to the great lion, Aslan, who is son to the King Over the Sea. Now, if you don't mind, I was in the middle of something rather important, and I should very much like to get back to it."

With her most honeyed voice, Cora replied gesturing royally is she did so, "We will, of course, return you as soon as we can. In the meantime, allow me to make proper introductions. I am Cora, this is my daughter, Regina. Finally, this is Snow White, daughter of King Leopold.

"Alas, we are menaced by the sinister Lork. He is but a common thug, but he has men and it will take some time for the King's troops to get here. However, I knew I could get him to accept the idea of duel, but you've seen the caliber of my guards, " Cora said, gesturing to the guard with a sharp blade to his throat and who was at that moment contemplating his life choices.

"And you summoned me here to win your war for you?"

"I would not have intruded had the need not been so desperate, " Cora lied effortlessly. If this superlative warrior didn't work out for her, then the duel should stall things long enough for King Leopold's men to arrive and end things decisively. 

The mouse contemplated her, Regina, and Snow White, and while his blade wavered not an inch, he seemed to ignore the man beneath it. The man at the wrong end of Reepicheep's blade was content to be ignored. Reepicheep turned his head towards Snow White and said, "Well child, is what she says so?"

Snow White, with the innocence of a child said, "Oh yes, I have seen and heard this Lork. he is a bad man and I'm sure means us harm."

With a flourish Reepicheep whisked his blade away from the beleaguered guard, leapt onto the ground, and ended in a deep bow. He said, "Then you shall have my blade for this duel, and your foe shall regret it."

The guard took the opportunity to get far away from the mouse. As Snow White came up and knelt down before him, he leaned up to her and whispered, "I do not trust the lady of this estate, and you would do well not to either."

Snow White looked a little shocked and whispered back, "but she's to be the mother of my step-mother."

The mouse nodded solemnly and whispered, "I see. Be wary."

With grand flourish and a twirl of his whiskers, he said aloud, "now, Lady Cora, please, explain to me the terms of this duel I am to win for you."

@~>~~

Adolf hunted. With wolf eyes he saw the world differently. With wolf ears he heard the sounds of frightened beasts to hunt. With wolf nose he tracked them.

And with wolf teeth he aimed to eat them. He found himself wanting to stay more and more in wolf form. Wolf was better he thought. 

Had he been able to look beyond himself, he would have realized that he was addicted. The spirit summoned to give him the ability to be a wolf was not a nature spirit. It was considerably darker, for beings like Jadis do not summon neutral spirits, or nice spirits.

However, evil dearly loves to cloak itself as anything but what it is. Often because evil detests it's true nature as much as it does everything else.

Soon, Adolf would not be able to resist the clarion call of the spirit summoned into his belt. He was it's slave, even as he thought himself free.


	6. Chapter 6 The Duel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regina continues tale of the past, wherein her champion faces off against a most unexpected opponent.

@~>~~

Lork arrived promptly, his men arrayed on one side of the dueling space. Cora had concluded the best place to have the duel was within her dining room. The dining room table, chairs and fireplace were on full display. She also made sure to leave many candlesticks, plates and other objects all over the table. Just because the duel was an honor duel did not mean she couldn't weight the environment in Reepicheep's favor.

Reepicheep stood at ready, confident and comfortable with what was to come ahead.

A huge man strode forth from Lork's group to the edge of the dueling circle. He was clad in heavy spiked plate with a massive pole arm.

And then stepped aside to reveal a shorter man. The man had long black curly hair and mustache. He wore brown clothing with a darker brown vest and tall brown boots. At his left hip hung a golden hilted sword with ivory white grip. He strode forward in easy confidence and stepped into the ring.

Lork rumbled in amusement, "Me champion, the greatest swordsman in all of the Enchanted Forest. Whatcha got, yer royalness?"

With that Reepicheep leapt into the ring, looked up and said, "I am Reepicheep, and I will be defending her ladyship's honor this day. Whom do I have the honor of facing?"

"You are a mouse," the dark haired swordsman replied incredulously.

"You people have NO imagination!"

"My apologies good mouse. Well then, let us take a moment to get to know one another," he replied as he kicked aside one of the chairs and sat down patiently. Reepicheep scaled the legs and stopped at the top on the armrest.

Lork growled, "Get on wit it, Spaniard!"

The Spaniard turned his head and tilted it slightly to the side and said, "Lork, manners. We can do proper introductions."

With that he turned his attention to the mouse, "were you a man, I would ask if you have six fingers on your right hand."

"How fortunate for me I am not. Why would you ask such a thing?"

"My father was slaughtered by a six fingered man. Do you see this sword?" He said, drawing his blade, showing it's hilt to be a lovely basket hilt inlaid with elegant scrollwork.

Reepicheep examined it and said, "It's beautiful, is it dwarf make?"

"No, but it has a story. Was a great sword maker, my father. One day, the six fingered man appeared and requested a special sword. My father took the job. When the job was done, the six fingered man returned and demanded it, but at half his original price. My father refuse. Without a word, the six fingered man slash him through the heart.

"I love my father, so naturally I challenge his murderer to a duel. I fail. Six fingered man leave me alive, but he gave me these, " the Spaniard said, showing the long scars that had been previously hidden by his hair, one on each cheek.

Reepicheep looked up in rapt attention, "what age were you when that happened, sir?"

"I was a eleven. When I was a strong enough, I dedicated myself to the study of fencing, so the next time we meet, I will no fail. I will go up to the six fingered man and say, 'Hello, my name Inigo Monotoya. You killed my father, prepare to die.'"

"So why work for a person such as this Lork?"

"I'm right here, " Lork grumbled.

"And your point being what, precisely? Do go on, Inigo."

Inigo continued ruefully and with some amusement, "There is not much money in revenge. I work for him to pay the bills. You see, it has been nearly twenty years and I no can find him. I am a starting to loose confidence."

"Well you've been more than fair, we had best get to it," Reepicheep said.

"You seem a decent fellow, " Inigo said, "I hate to kill you."

"You seem a decent fellow, I hate to die."

With that, both stepped apart to opposite sides, drew their swords, Reepicheep in his right hand, and Inigo Montoya's in his left. And then, they began.

Inigo led off with a fast slash that would have bisected Reepicheep, if the mouse hadn't parried with his own saber. The mouse then tried to flick the saber to the ground so he could slip by Inigo's guard, but Inigo flicked his sword back, and made a half step to the side.

"Ah I see, get inside my guard, is it?" Inigo said.

"It seems the smart play, given my lack of reach, " Reepicheep replied.

With another quick flick, Inigo made a fast thrust, which Reepicheep parried, and the two combatants began circling each other with quick parries. That is, until one of the chairs was near Reepicheep. The Mouse flicked his sword to his tail and quickly scaled the chair leg. Had not Inigo kicked the chair over, the mouse would have gotten under his guard. However, the mouse anticipated this move, doing a quick reverse, flicking his sword back into his paw and thrusting toward Inigo's planted foot, which would have worked, were it not for a quick parry from Inigo, and skilled hand plant and roll.

"Ha, " Inigo said, "you're quick!"

"Just watch! " Reepicheep replied joyfully.

In the universe of story, few beings are more pragmatic in combat than Narnian mice, or more fearless. This only stands to reason as they are typically the smallest combatants on the field. Their paws are not well suited to bows. Fairies are often quite excellent marksman and also have fairy dust as another way to end a battle. Thus, Narnian mice do not acknowledge 'below the belt,' because they can't really be expected to reach higher, and are quite happy to ambush their foes. As many a Telmarine found out the hard way, a small, fast moving, utterly fearless foe is incredibly tough to deal with.

Inigo Montoya was finding this out. Every thrust was met with a parry and attempt to get in far too close for him to retaliate, while exposing his legs and feet to assault, or worse, having the small creature get up onto his chest and place his blade somewhere soft and fatal.

"I have never seen such a style," Inigo responded, clearly having the time of his life. Lork, on the other hand looked positively irritated.

"It is my own, just for dealing with tall folks," Reepicheep responded with equal glee. Usually his battles tended to start with a stupid observation, and end with the questioner dead.

Their blades were flashing nearly too fast to see, as each maneuvered for advantage, and Inigo was giving ground. One mistake with his left hand wielded blade, and the mouse would be at his feet and legs, and from there it could be over in an instant.

"You are marvelous, " Inigo said, while launching into a quick flurry of parries to fence Reepicheep's advance.

"Why thank you. All Narnian Mice who war train extensively, for obvious reasons," the mouse replied, working to break the parry fence, moving in closer to the Spaniard's legs.

Inigo scooped a chair from the table with his foot and flung it into Reepicheep's path. Reepicheep flicked his sword back to his tail, and as quick as a whip, used his paws to fling himself up the leg of the chair, across the chair arm, and finally he launched off the back even as he flicked his sword back into his paw. Inigo's thrust was a quick motion that might have speared the mouse, but the mouse turned his flight into a parry and roll that dropped him within Inigo's guard. Had not Inigo quickly backed off and hedged him with a quick twist of the sword, the mouse would have gotten to Inigo's feet.

"You are better than I, " Inigo said mirthfully as they exchanged parries, "I admit it."

"Then why are you smiling?" Reepicheep responded while working to press his advantage.

"Because I know something you do not."

"Oh? What is that?" Reepicheep asked.

"I am not left handed, " Inigo said bringing his hands briefly together in the middle of a parry. When they parted, he had switched the sword from his left hand to his right hand. It happened so fast most of those watching missed the exchange.

And then it was Reepicheep on the defensive, as Inigo's sword thrusts came fast and furious. However, Reepicheep used his advantages, and fell back towards the table. As soon as he was close enough, Reepicheep scurried up the table leg, onto the massive table, laden with candles, dishes, silverware, and all.

Quick and agile, Reepicheep dodged between the table accoutrements, as he pulled behind a candlestick, a quick slice from Inigo went high over the candlestick. Reepicheep ducked out, grabbed up a plate, and started to close the distance. Inigo responded by knocking down half of one of the candles from the candlestick on Reepicheep's tail.

"ARRGH!" Reepicheep exclaimed, "No. One. Touches. The. Tail."

With that he slung his tail underneath and popped the plate off the table, which he hurled in Inigo's direction, while dodging across the table. Inigo caught the launched plate, put it back where it went and pursued.

However, the chairs hampered Inigo. Reepicheep expertly weaved between the various dishes, candelabras and candle holders, and Inigo's thrusts were starting to get less precise, and then he made a mistake.

It was a small one, and had his foe been a man his size, it wouldn't have mattered. Against Reepicheep, it was just enough to make the difference. Inigo had over extended, and his foot slipped a little into a chair. That provided just enough opening for Reepicheep to charge and catch onto Inigo's vest, from there, he scaled up, got across Inigo's throat.

Inigo slowly dropped to his knees, dropping his sword. He said softly to the mouse, "Make it quick."

"My lady, Lork, this duel has ended. I have won. I don't destroy skilled warriors needlessly, so I am sparing his life."

Cora nodded regally and said, "I accept your victory."

Lork on the other hand, growled and said, "Heh, I weren't gonna honor that deal anyways. Now tha me men are in position, we're just gonna take what I want. Inigo, yer fired."

@~>~~

Near the edge of town, Archie was out with Pongo, taking care of those doggie needs. However, the beautiful white and black spotted Dalmatian had wandered off a bit, and Archie was getting worried.

Then, the Dalmatian appeared loping closer with that happy doggie grin dogs get.

"There you are, " Archie said, as he reattached the lead. "Come on, let's see what's going on in town."

Back in town, Rumplestiltskin reappeared in his shop. His 'surprise' hadn't been tripped, but the chess board showed his foe had captured Rumplestiltskin's bishop as expected, but had done it in a way that left him in check with his rook also threatened. He was looking over the board thoughtfully, when Belle returned.

She wrapped her arms around him from behind and gave him a hug. He turned around and faced her. As usual, his emotions were conflicted. She looked at him at first with love, and then her face clouded, recalling something important.

Belle said, "Rumple, I completely forgot! there's something you need to see."

@~>~~

"Well, it seems you need a new employer. Cora, you aren't hiring by chance?" Reepicheep said.

Cora, seeing the chance, said, "But of course, I'll even double what Lork was going to pay you."

Lork said in aggravation, "I am RIGHT HERE. Fine, you four, kill the Spaniard and the mouse."

Four of his guards closed in on Inigo. With legendary smoothness, Inigo came up onto his feet and slid into a fencing stance, caught his blade with his foot and flicked it into his right hand and proceeded to move with lightning quickness through Lork's four men. He ended with his blade outstretched in a long low stance, pointing at Lork.

The four men dropped dead behind him.

"You could have left me one, " Reepicheep said in irritation.

"Hello Lork. You tried to have me killed. Are a bad man, Mr. Lork. Ready to suffer their fate?"

Lork strategically ran towards the back while yelling at his men, "Don't just stand there, Kill Them ALREADY!"

It would be nice if such cowardly behavior caused his men to rethink his orders, to question them, and consider that if he was ready to abandon them like this, then he wasn't much of a leader. Alas, people who follow such men are either not bright enough to ask such deep questions, or too scared to. And so, they charged ahead.

Which suited Reepicheep just fine, who went charging at them with a yell, "Come on Inigo! Battle awaits!"

Inigo, with a slight sigh, and with more gusto charged in after him. Cora spitted her guards with a glare that could have incinerated on sight and said, "Well, what are you waiting for?!? Go Help them!"

With that, most of her guards charged in, lead by a rather thuggish guard who had recently decided being on the side of the mouse was far superior to being his adversary.

And it was. Narnian mice are experts at going for the feet and vulnerable bits below the belt. This is incredibly distracting in combat and can cause a man's head to be filled with distractions, or removed by another one of the combatants.

Cora was frustrated. In a moment where Reepicheep was near she spat out, "If only they didn't have those leather straps to prevent my magic!"

Reepicheep looked up keenly and with a twirl of his whiskers dove into the fight where he found Inigo in the process of stacking a third thug on top of two others he'd already disposed of. The Spaniard was looking a bit grim, and perhaps slightly tired. Reepicheep scaled him with practiced ease. Inigo clearly noticed, but stayed focused on the task at hand while he did so.

"Inigo, watch! " the mouse shouted a he jumped into the fray, his blade whisking out to cut off the villian's leather band. On landing, he shouted before leaping back into the fray, "Your ladyship... This one is free!"

Cora quickly gestured, and Lork's man who was recently shorn of his magical defense found himself promptly taken for granite. Inigo got it, smiled, and changed tactics. Three more lost their wristbands, and promptly joined their comrade as statues.

In the midst of the battle, one of Cora's thuggish guards, who was too busy fighting at that moment to consider his life choices suddenly inadvertently overbalanced a blow, leaving him open to a clean strike from one of Lork's men. But rather than deliver the blow, the other man dropped his sword and leapt up on one foot, in clear pain.

"Missed da mouse, did ye? " he said with a grim smile and then clubbed his foe in the head with the hilt of his sword.

And then, as quickly as it had begun, it was over. The dead, the seriously wounded, the statue, and those currently scuttling around on six legs and enjoying a cockroach's view of the universe were all that remained of Lork's forces. It was at the moment of victory that Lork chose to grab up young Regina in a tight hold and drag her away from the others.

"Well now, isn't this a pretty picture. I'll be taking this one as me hostage. Ya move or do anything funny, I slit her fine royal throat. When I'm gone, yer pretty king can buy her back, for a tidy sum I'm athinkin'."

Regina responded by trying to bite his hand, but was thwarted by his heavy leather glove. She also flailed and kicked, hoping to hit something sensitive. Lork stepped back, carrying her, knife close. He gloated, "Don't struggle too much, pretty, or'n I'll mark ye up proper. "

Inigo stood at attention and did nothing to provoke Lork in that moment. However, he was the only one the room wise enough to ask what happened to the mouse.

@~>~~

Nick shoveled, hoping for a secret bunker, and hoping for a secret place.

Nick dug, hoping for an answer other than the one he feared.

He dug, and hoped the white lady hadn't lied to him. He so hoped that Billy was okay.

With a thump, his shovel hit something, he fearfully cleared away. And his hopes were dashed. He ran way, tears in his eyes.

@~>~~

Lork backed away, carrying a struggling Regina with him past a small foot stool. If he'd looked carefully, he'd have seen something he needed to see. Instead, he passed by and too late he felt it. The prick of a sharp blade in just the wrong spot cut the tendon of the hand holding the knife. His hand fell away, useless as the knife clattered away. He turned in outrage towards the footstool to find it empty. As he looked around franticly, Regina took that moment to arch her back hard bring her feet forward and slam them back, catching Lork's leg painfully.

Which wouldn't have been so bad if at that moment the Achilles tendon in his other foot had not been cut, causing him to stumble and loose his grip on Regina. Who promptly turned around and kicked him in the stomach.

And kicked him again, and again. While Snow White looked on with shock and horror, Cora sat back down onto the couch watched in admiration as Regina delivered another sharp kick to Lork, who was curling up in a most unmanly way, revealing Reepicheep, who had been responsible for freeing Regina.

As Inigo came up and gently pulled her back from a now sobbing Lork, Reepicheep spoke gently to Regina, "You, my dear, have an overactive sense of revenge. It's going to get you into trouble one day."

Inigo returned Regina to her mother and stepped away. The guards took Lork away, presumably to a cell in a convenient dungeon. As her guards removed him from the remains of the battlefield, Cora stood graciously from where she was seated.

"Inigo, is it? I am well pleased with your skill at the blade. How would you like to join my staff permanently? I can make it very worth your while," Cora said pleasantly.

Inigo calmly shook his head and said, " I can not. Have revenge to seek and places to go. Please pay as I am owed, and will return to that."

Cora sighed, and waived to her guards, one of whom brought forth a small bag full of clinking coins, which she gave to him.

Inigo bowed deeply to the mouse and kneeled, saying, "Are a fine warrior, sir mouse. Join on my quest? We could go far together."

Reepicheep sadly shook his head, and said, "I can not. I was in the middle of a quest before I was pulled in to deal with this disaster. If I were to offer advice, I would say give up the quest for vengeance, and find a good lord to serve. I do believe they're out there."

Inigo sighed and said, "As you wish, Sir Mouse. This day has most unsatisfying, I think."

With that Inigo walked from the halls of Cora's estate, and headed on to other adventures.

Reepicheep turned expectantly towards Cora hand placed defiantly on his sword, and said, "I believe we had a deal, your ladyship."

Cora looked bemused, and said, "No, I don't think so. You're far too useful to throw away like that. I suppose I might have to rip out your heart, and make you obey."

Snow looked physically sick. Regina looked unhappy as well as she spat out, "Mother, really?!?"

The mouse spitted her with a look that suggested that, woman or not, trying it would be very painful and was probably about to say something appropriately sardonic when a mirror behind her, which had miraculously survived the fights, rumbled and shook with the slow sound of a deep throat growling in anger. Reepicheep's face lit up with a huge mousy smile.

Cora, Snow White, and Regina turned as one to see that the mirror no longer reflected the room, but showed instead a land with a tall cliff behind it and covered with green grass and trees. It was a peaceful scene. In the center with a look of absolute fury was a massive golden Lion.

It's voice shook the mirror as rumbled low, "Cora, Enough. You have borrowed my servant, you will return him now. You have stolen wills, transformed bodies, and broken souls. You will not do that to mine."

The Lion stalked towards the mirror. Reepicheep, without a thought, tossed aside his small saber and ran into the mirror. The lion gently brought his paw into a quick hug, and said, "Reepicheep, go, relax and enjoy your rewards. Your quest is done, your time of war is ended. What I have to say is not for your ears. Besides, soon you'll be reunited with an old friend."

As Reepicheep disappeared from the mirror the Lion looked firmly at Cora, and said, "If EVER you try that again, I will come for you and you will end. There will be no tricks, no maneuvers and no magic that will save you. Your time is running out Cora. Seek wisdom, before death finds you from most unexpected sources.

He turned his head towards Snow White and said sadly, "Be good Snow, and forgiveness can be had. But one must ask with a true heart."

Finally the Lion turned his head towards Regina and said simply and ominously, "Regina we will meet again soon."

With a slight sigh, the Lion said, "And now I leave you. She just pushed him off the cliff showing off and I really must attend to it."

The mirror returned to showing the shocked looks of Cora, Snow White and Regina.

Cora looked about for the horn. It was gone. Only her improvements remained, melted into blacked slag. With a sigh, she picked up a dream catcher she had prepared as part of her backup plan and said sweetly towards Snow White, "do hold still, child. This will take but a moment..."

Evil sometimes can be given the lesson spelled out in large capital letters, and learn absolutely nothing.

@~>~~

Killian let loose a slow breath, "That's quite a story, luv."

Regina looked up from her coffee where she had been staring, "I still have the sword among mother's things. I do not know the Lion personally, but he had a frightening presence even through a mirror."

Emma said with a quietly, and only a touch of her trademark acid, "And now he's reporting robberies."

Granny came stomping in from the back carrying her crossbow and spat out, "Speaking of. That cauldron was passed down from my granny! And now some hooligan's made off with it."

Regina got up and calmly declared, "show me where the cauldron was."

Granny led them past the counter, into the back room to the spot where her family's black cauldron used to sit. Hook simply stood back, taking it all in, and narrowly avoided sampling a loose roll when Granny shot him a dirty look.

Regina stepped up, looked over the site thoughtfully, and waived her hand around the space. Purple smoke formed up and parted, revealing the cauldron. With a slight smirk Regina asked, "This is your missing cauldron?"

Granny said, "Well if you could just summon it back, why didn't you say so?!?"

Regina smirked and said, "But I didn't. It's only an illusion of it."

Emma leaned closer and said thoughtfully, "Regina, what's the deal with these markings?"

Regina stopped and leaned in closer. Her look went from slightly smug, to slowly more worried, ending with a look that was deeply concerned.

Emma said sharply, "Seriously?!? What is it this time?"

Regina said quietly, "It's the Black Cauldron. A being of pure evil could use it to summon an army of the undead. And you've been using it for cooking."

"Speaking of beings of pure evil," Captain Hook said munching on a roll, "does anyone know where Rumplestiltskin is?"

"Oh be quiet Captain Guyliner," Regina retorted.

@~>~~

That source pure evil was currently gently putting his finger on Belle's lips, and said, "come my dear, let's take a walk. We haven't done so in such a long time, and it will be good to get out."

Belle said, "But Rumple, it's important!"

"Oh don't worry dear. I have it on good authority it can keep for a little bit."

Rumplestiltskin had acquired, or rather killed a blind prophetess with eyes in her hands and gained the ability to see the future. But it was not the certainty of a movie reel. It was more of a view of mountains from a mountaintop across the valley. The wishing well was important to his future, and might reveal his chess playing opponent. He had seen it. The only pity was he had the timing wrong.

"Alright, " Belle said with a touch of playful exacerbation, "Let us go then. I am sure I will be safe with such a Beast."

He laughed and they began their walk towards the Storybrooke Wishing Well. On the way, they passed Archie taking Pongo for a walk.

@~>~~

The Charmings loft was on the opposite side of the street from Mr. Gold's shop. It used to be just Snow White's home, but David had moved in not so long ago, and both tended to behave like newlyweds. Frankly, most of the rest of the town either found it vaguely amusing to annoying.

Currently though, Snow White's eyes were closed and she seemed sound asleep on their metal framed and white sheeted bed. In a chair next to the bed, Sleepy, one of the eponymous Seven Dwarves, was sound asleep as well.

David didn't mind. He was busying himself with making something in the kitchen that he thought his wife would enjoy when she woke up. She seemed to be doing better, especially now that the baby was starting to sleep through the nights.

As he bustled, his cell phone rang. It was Emma calling, so he picked it up and stepped towards the door with it's wooden lock that Pinocchio had made.

He answered, "Hi Emma, what's up?"

"So Storybrooke just threw us another problem. I got a visit from a Lion about a stolen cauldron at Granny's, " Emma's voice had the incredulous and annoyed tone she often got when something from the Enchanted Forest popped up.

"Wait, lion? Did we get another visitor from Oz?" Charming asked.

He could almost hear Emma's teeth grinding as she said, "No, He assured me He was definitely not the Cowardly Lion. In fact, I got the feeling He found the whole comparison funny."

"How can I help?" David said to his daughter. She was about the same apparent age as Mary Margaret, her mother, but one of the side effects of the curse had been to trap all the residents of Storybrooke in what amounted to a time bubble, where no one aged.

"Come and meet us, we're leaving Granny's now and on our way to see Mr. Gold, if he's in his shop. Regina thinks that Granny had a cauldron that she didn't know was magic. It's been stolen and she wants to confirm it is what she thinks it is. Oh, don't tell Mary Margaret. She still needs to rest up."

David glanced at his wife snuggled up comfortably in bed with a slight smile, "I think she'll be fine. I'll leave a note and meet you at Gold's."

He wrote out a quick note. About half a minute after he left, Mary Margaret's eyes popped open and with an elfin smile she got out of bed, quickly threw on some clothes, covered the sleeping dwarf with a blanket, checked on her happily sleeping baby, and after a moment of thought, and making sure that their young boy would have anything he might need, headed out to follow her husband towards adventure.


	7. Chapter 7 "Queens and Pawns"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lork's story ends. Rumpelstiltskin and Queen Jadis have a falling out. Belle learns something of importance. And a certain Lion may put in an appearance.

@~>~~

Ms. Aveline was out for one of her morning walks. She did not see Nick before he careened into her. She stumbled a bit, but caught herself with surprising ease for someone who, outside of Storybrooke, had been using a cane for years.

She would have given him some elderly advice about looking where he was going, but she could see the tears streaming down his face. 

So instead she asked, "What is it dear? What's wrong?"

Nick sobbed and in a wet voice told her of the White Lady and how she'd given them pizza parties and gifts and how she'd lied to them about Billy, who'd died to bring her back and he knew because he found Billy's favorite calculator watch where Nick had last seen him. Those who knew Ms. Aveline well would have been surprised to see her eyes grow flinty and fierce. They might have noticed the more regal posture, and the fury in her demeanor. Slowly, however, the flame slid behind the waters of compassion. Not extinguished, but behind a more pressing matter.

"Come on little one. It is high time we go to find the sheriff, " she said with a compassionately soft voice. It was a voice that had moved armies of men in her younger years. She took his hand in hers and started walking towards town. But her other hand was knotted into a fist.

They walked at a brisk pace, mostly lead by Ms. Aveline towards town. Along the way, they ran into Archie, who was looking around frantically.

"Have you seen Pongo?" He said worriedly.

Ms. Aveline responded, "No I haven't. However, I need to get young Nick here to the Sheriff, as soon as possible. It is Ms. Swan, yes? I will mention the missing...

"Why speak of the devil," Ms. Aveline said Pongo came trotting up with a doggie yawn.

Archie happily attached Pongo's lead, and said, "What's going on?"

"I'll tell you when we find the Sheriff. I have some things that need saying and I'm only doing it once," Ms. Aveline responded in a fierce tone Archie hadn't thought she was capable of.

@~>~~

Belle and Rumplestiltskin arrived arm and arm at the wishing well, which sat in the midst of the forest. It was a normally a peaceful place. While it is another story, it was here that Rumplestiltskin brought the magic of the Enchanted Forest to the land without magic. 

At this moment, the wishing well had a tall visitor of unworldly beauty. Jadis had come and was looking contemplatively into the well.

As they approached, Jadis read aloud from the plaque attached to the well, " For centuries, local legend has claimed that mystical waters run beneath this great land. It is said that these waters possess the power to return that which is lost to its rightful place. If you have lost something precious to you, drink from this well and bear witness to this miracle as what is missing shall be returned.

As she turned to them, she leaned her back against the well with a languid grace. Something about her bothered Belle. It was a sense of familiarity. Then Jadis continued with a smile that didn't quite touch her eyes, "What a nice thought. And here you are. Looking to return something you've lost?"

Belle spoke first, picking up something in the air, "Have we met? I don't believe I know you."

"Oh don't you? Been keeping secrets have you, Dark One?" Jadis said with a touch of venom, "and from I as well, it seems."

As Jadis pushed herself off the well and strode forward, Rumplestiltskin stood between her and Belle. Even though he looked up at her, his eyes held the look of one who's sure he holds all the cards. He said, "Careful Dearie. I don't know what you're playing at, but playing games with me is a dangerous past time."

Jadis' eyes narrowed as she spoke darkly, "I don't play games, little man." 

With a quick step she pushed him aside with one hand and grabbed Belle by the neck with the other. Before Rumplestiltskin could even exhale, Jadis threw her against the well with all of her considerable strength. There was a sickening crack, and Belle fell limp to the ground.

"My Belle, " Rumplestiltskin cried out in heart rending anguish, which was followed by rage, "You will pay for that witch!"

As he raised his hands to immediately carry out that threat, Jadis mockingly raised her hand which revealed a rune marked leather band on her wrist.

"Recognize it?" She said, "A little something I borrowed from your stores. It prevents magic from working on one. Marvelous little toy."

Rumplestiltskin's gaze turned crafty, "Oh, Dearie, it's never that easy."

@~>~~

Lork contemplated his life in his small cell. Cora hadn't gotten around to killing him yet, which meant she wanted something from him. Oh well, he had some leverage, and he'd use it.

A low puff of black smoke revealed the giggling form of Rumplestiltskin, in all of his gold skinned glory on the other side of the cell door.

"Well, this is a fine mess you've gotten into," he said in a sing song voice, "Now where, oh where is your side of our deal?"

Lork looked up and said, "I had her. Dat lil' mouse just got de drop on me. I could do it."

"Oh that's not how that looked to me... Dearie."

"Still, ye'll get me out of here. This lil' beauty will make sure you can't do any magic on me. And if ye don't.. well I might jus' have to get talkative, " Lork said, gesturing to the leather band.

Rumplestiltskin tittered, "Oh silly Goose. I made them, Of course they don't work on me. Still, a bargain's a bargain."

With that he gestured, and Lork had his freedom, but the view was different, closer to the ground. Suddenly a giant woman came up wearing an apron and grabbed him up. 

"Come along you! It's dinner time," she said.

He tried to protest, but it came out as a honking sound. She put his head on the chopping block and as she raised the butcher knife, he saw his reflection. In the sharp blade he saw the reflection of a goose. It would be the last thing he'd ever see.

@~>~~

As Ms. Aveline walked with Nick, Pongo, and Archie Hopper towards town, a black haired teenager carrying a battered backpack spied them. He ran up with a smile, "Hi Archie!"

And without missing a beat, he kneeled and gave Pongo a quick friendly pat and said, "hi Pongo."

Archie said, "Hi Henry. Hey have you seen your mother about?"

"I think I saw her and Granny headed to Mr. Gold's. If we hurry, I think we can catch up."

Nick was feeling shy and kept to himself, but Ms. Aveline smiled and said, "Hullo Henry, I don't think we have had the pleasure. Unfortunately, time is a bit pressing just now."

"Oh no problem, I'll come with, " Henry said, with that mischievous glint of a boy smelling the chance at adventure.

As they walked quickly, Ms. Aveline found herself in the mood to ask about Henry. She knew of him, having seen him around town, but hadn't had a chance to get to know him. So as they walked, she asked, "Henry, am I right in thinking you're Regina's child?"

"Oh by adoption, Emma's my natural born mother, and... " Henry trailed off, not quite sure how to explain how his grandparents on both sides looked to be the same age as his mother. Behind Ms. Aveline, Archie was frantically signaling to Henry to be careful with what he said.

Ms. Aveline seemed to have missed the significance of the pause and said, "I imagine that must be a bit odd. And I suspect that must be a rather challenging relationship."

"Well, it was my fault, I found Emma and brought her here and well things worked out so both stayed in town. For what it's worth, their relationship has gotten much better. What about you, Ms. Aveline? Do you have any children?"

She looked sad as she responded, "I was never so blessed. When my husband died a few years back he left me the cabin here in Maine. I thought, well, I always rather liked this side of the pond, and it seemed as nice a place as any to settle down and live out what was left of my years. Cherish your youth, Henry. It will not last forever."

With those somber words, they entered into the suburbs around Storybrooke. 

@~>~~

Rumplestiltskin continued in more malicious tones, "I made those bands, and Dearie, they don't work on me."

He gestured a spell.

When nothing happened, Jadis laughed softly, "Oh I knew all about that, Dark One. I have had to learn two separate magical systems since leaving Charn. Of course I explored your trinket, found and closed that little back door.

"You were going to betray me, so I beat you to it. This was the source of the magic in Storybrooke, so it makes sense you'd come here to corrupt it. I've already taken magical steps to prevent that. And soon enough, you'll join me."

With growling voice he said, "I will kill you witch. And I don't go back on my deals."

Jadis laughed. She said, "Oh you'll try and fail. And along the way you'll do whatever deed to bring back your precious Belle. It won't matter how dark, or how wicked. Or you'll try to come after me using your dark powers. Either way, it won't matter. I'll kill her again, and again, and again. I'll twist your precious dark magic back on you. Each time, you'll blacken your heart further. I know your type, little man. You'll justify it, you'll excuse it, but most of all..."

She leaned in and effortlessly lifted him into the air by the shirt and brought his face close to hers. Her face twisted in hideous mockery, "you'll just keep doing it. Until either your mind cracks into a million pieces, or your soul becomes so black you won't feel love, you won't feel hope, all that will be left is hatred, anger, and despair. And then, little man, I will own you. I have seen it so often. Justify it all you like, excuse it all you can."

She tossed him aside like a rag doll next to Belle.

As she disappeared into a column of smoke, she laughed with dark scorn and said, "See you soon... Dearie."

@~>~~

Simone played with her magic wands, while Haveronger gave her some advice on proper technique. She eventually tired of the lessons. It was if she wasn't learning anything new, but constantly running errands for Jadis. Go fetch this pot from Granny's, slip a potion to Pongo, and cast a glamour on Adolf so he'd look like Pongo, break into Regina's family crypt for a trinket. As her raven departed to scout for her, she sat in the field feeling pensive.

Lately she had begun to wonder if she was just being used. Haveronger seemed to be offended whenever she broached the question. But there it was. So, she decided to rely on the magical device that had launched her and her friends on their grand quest. 

"Is this still the right course?" she whispered to it. The symbols aligned to yes. 

"She is good, right?" She whispered and the symbols again aligned to yes. 

Sighing, she pushed down her doubts, reservations and went to trying to silence that still small voice telling her the truth. It was easier to let something else dictate right and wrong, rather than explore and understand the errors she'd engaged in.

@~>~~

Near the wishing well, Rumplestiltskin despaired and wept. There is no shame in this. He was a man who had just lost his long lost son permanently, and now had lost the only woman who had ever seen good in him. Good he'd never seen in himself. And yet his mind whirled and planned. The gears of his mind whirred and clicked as he made plans, factored outcomes and tried to come up with a plan that worked. 

In the midst of this he felt a presence. It was unlike anything he had ever been near. He looked up to see a lion with massive golden mane laying almost sphinx-like, watching him with the a deep and sad look.

Rumplestiltskin gently laid Belle down, stood up and said, "How long have you been here?"

The Lion flicked an ear, and seemed disinclined to comment. So Rumplestiltskin continued on, "You saw it all and did nothing, did you? You could have stopped her, slowed her down at least. Why didn't you Do Something?"

The Lions spoke quietly, his voice a rich baritone that seemed to fill the air, "Rumplestiltskin, how much knowledge you've accumulated. What am I to say which would convince your reason? Never have I been invited into your life. Never have you asked for my aid. Never have you even acknowledged power beyond your own. Rumplestiltskin, you are the Dark One, Nimue's curse borne of fruit. Did you burn the book of Charn magic when you got it? No, you put it on a shelf alongside all the other tomes of death and destruction. Did you take the toy of Iron Pyrite to pieces when you traded for it? No, you left it where the uniformed could play with it, and sent a witch to my realm to cause heartache with another toy you made. Did you tell the others when Jadis unveiled herself? No, not one of these did you do. These are your choices. You have knowledge, you have experience. There is no excuse, and deep down, you know it. So tell me then, Rumplestiltskin, why am I required to intervene when it has been made so blatantly obvious that my personage and opinion are not wanted?"

Rumplestiltskin bit down the many responses on his lips and raised his hand, fingers up, in much the way the Oracle had. He then found himself puzzled.

"Do I know you?" he asked.

"No, Rumplestiltskin, I wouldn't say that you do. But I know you."

"You can bring her back from the dead, can't you?" his voice cracked as he spoke.

"Can I?" 

"No games, not now. How about a deal? What do you want to bring her back? Wealth, Power, Answers?" Rumplestiltskin sounded more confident.

"Nothing you would offer is anything I'd want."

Rumplestiltskin pulled out the Dagger of the Dark One. He placed it on the ground before the Lion. He said, "How about a trade for that?"

The Lion rumbled a slow laugh, "Oh Rumplestiltskin, what am I to do with you? Nothing that represents has anything to do with me. Besides, even if I took that deal, you had already concocted six schemes to get it back. There is no deal to be had."

"Then how?!?"

"Have you tried asking?"

Rumplestiltskin seemed smaller as he looked on the still form of Belle. From a place that even he didn't know he had he asked, "Please? Save my Belle."

The Lion walked over to the body and said, "But she is not dead, Rumple, merely sleeping."

While Rumplestiltskin sputtered incoherently, the Lion leaned his head down to the still, non-breathing form of Belle and spoke in a soft, coaxing voice, "Belle, come now, time to wake up. There's much to do and much to see."

With a plaintive yawn, Belle stirred and sat up, her body unmarked by wounds or harm. She looked into the Lion's eyes. With a bright, happy, smile, she said, "You! You are a Lion?!? How are you here? Who was that? What's going on? I have so many questions!"

She couldn't help herself. He was majestic and powerful and yet, she ran her hands through his mane. The Lion laughed, it was a deep and rich sound that echoed. He said, "Ah Belle, let us just say that I am here to avoid a certain theological quandary. The rest will be explained in time.

He gently rested his head against her shoulder and said quietly, "Be strong little one. They'll listen in time.

Then, raising his head up, and stepping back, he said, "And now, I have other things to be about." 

With that the Lion leapt away and in a moment was out of sight.

Belle said, "Rumple, we have to go back to town. We have to tell the others." 

He looked at her thoughtfully and realized that Jadis had declared war. This had to be handled delicately, or there would be a huge catastrophe. Still, he thought he could control the situation, so he nodded, "Yes, Belle, you're right, of course."

With a burst of black smoke, they disappeared from the woods and wishing well.

@~>~~

They caught up with Emma and company midway between Granny's and Mr. Gold's shop. 

Ms. Aveline launched in with the confidence of a woman used to having her words heeded, "Sheriff, former Mayor, Deputy.. is it Deputy David? I was never sure. Oh, and of course the current Mayor Mary Margret."

As one, Regina, David and Emma turned to spot Snow White sneaking up behind them. Beside Ms. Aveline, Archie put his face into his palm and sighed.

Regina found her voice first and with a touch of dismissal that royalty makes an art form of, she said, "So, Ms. Aveline, we're a bit busy. Can this wait?"

Ms. Aveline responded the same way any royalty would when given that sort of dismissal. With a calm, slightly condescending tone of her own, she said, "No, it most certainly will not, as it's likely the same issue.

"In my day, I would have called this town queer, but I've been given to understand the meaning of that particular turn of phrase has changed over the years, so I will simply call it odd. I don't claim to understand it at all. Only this I know, that you and those here are somehow in the midst of it, " Ms. Aveline continued in growing frustration, " I do not know why the White Witch of my sister's tales is here, but she is, and she is dangerous. Nick saw her and has been working for her. But I think he's wised up. Jadis of Charn walks your streets and if you don't stop her fast, she will unleash hell on your doorstep."

Emma got a really disturbed look on her face and interrupted, "And now, I bet she has the cauldron."

Ms. Aveline said, "I am not getting in the middle of whatever this is, but you needed to know. I am going to find Belle. Henry, a pleasure to meet you, and Mr. Hopper, a pleasure to see you again."

With that Ms. Aveline strode off, leaving the leadership of Storybrooke at something of loss at that moment, with a very shamefaced Nick holding a broken calculator watch.

Mary Margaret Blanchard came forward and dropped to one knee and said in her sweetest, most gentlest voice, "what happened Nick? You can tell me."

In halting tones, Nick brokenly told them what he and his friends had done and how they had been responsible for the thefts the lion had mentioned, at least based on the descriptions of what had been stolen. He said sadly, "she seemed so nice at first. Like a proper lady, didn't she. She fed us all sorts of treats, and it seemed so fun, breaking the rules and using magic. But, but we killed Billy with the ritual to summon her and she lied to us about it. Right to our face, she did. And, and I don't think her magical gifts are good. Simone spends more and more time with the raven... and Adolf loves running around as a wolf with his magical belt, but he's getting more and more wild and cruel... An I didn't wanna talk about it, but I'm scared. I think she's really bad, no matter what Simone's little golden thingie says. An I'm scared for my friends. I think her stuff is making them sick."

Emma's voice was ice as she said, "And so you just brought the monster back from death, turned her loose in our town, and didn't think that maybe, just maybe what you were doing was reckless and stupid?!? Seriously?"

Nick burst into tears. He was young yet and, frankly, matters of life and death are supposed to wait a bit longer before inflicting themselves upon a being. He dropped the golden apple Jadis had given him, and just wept hard against Mary Margaret's shoulder. Mary Margaret looked between her daughter and Nick in a mix of shock and concern. She said calmly, "Nick, what you did was wrong, you know that, right?"

He nodded with tear filled eyes. So, looking him in the eyes, she continued, "This is a big deal, and there will be a punishment. But right now, the adults need to deal with it. Go home to your parents and tell them to go to the Faries for protection. Tell them I said so, okay? And you should tell them the truth of what you and your friends have been up to."

He nodded again, and then ran off as quick as his legs would carry him. Behind him, he left the broken watch and the once treasured apple.

Regina looked at it with a look bordering on disgust and then waved her hand, disrupting the magic that had made it. What was left were shards of iron pyrite around a rotted and bloated apple. 

"Disgusting magic," she said straightening the folds of her sensible pantsuit, "It feeds off of it's host while allowing him to find things. Speaking of things, meet me at the Mayor's office, I will call Robin. I have a rather disgusted feeling that once again my vault has not lived up to it's name."

With that, she vanished in a plume of purple smoke, leaving Emma with her mother and father, as well as Granny and Captain Hook.

As Emma was about to speak, Grumpy and the rest of the dwarves arrived looking upset, with Snow White's baby comfortably sleeping in his stroller.

"Sister, we've been robbed!" He bellowed in his grumpiest of tones.

"Shhh!" Mary Margaret said pointing to the happily sleeping baby.

"What did they take?" Emma asked in a quiet deadpan.

"They took one of the pouches of fairy dust we'd harvested! We demand justice! No body, but No Body steals from a Dwarf!" Grumpy continued in anger, slightly modulated by the baby's proximity.

"But why on earth would she need fairy dust?" Granny said with confusion.

It was that moment, Rumplestiltskin emerged from the shop with a surprisingly chipper Belle on his arm and with a calm voice, "likely to power a large artifact."

"Let me guess, " Emma deadpanned, "the Black Cauldron would be such an artifact."

"Hello Crocodile," Hook said under his breath not quite keeping the black look out of his eye when looking at Rumplestiltskin.

"How on earth did she find that?" Belle said with shock.

Granny chimed in, "Apparently, it's been in my family for years."

Rumplestiltskin ignored Hook and continued as if nothing in the world were wrong, "Well, that's rather unfortunate. Ms. Swan, were you coming to see me?"

Emma did her best to focus on dealing with Rumplestiltskin, who could often be very good at setting up any situation to his advantage. So she started with, "So Gold, how long have you known that we had Jadis in town?"

"Jadis? Who would this be?" Rumplestiltskin lied smoothly.

Belle got a sudden look of recognition and surprise. She said, "but Rumple, don't you see, it's that beastly woman who attacked me by the well."

Mary Margaret looked over in concern at Belle and said, "Are you okay?"

Belle nodded and said, "I'm fine. In fact, when I woke up I found myself face to face with a lion, and I am almost sure I know who it is. I think it was Aslan. But I do not know how he got here from Narnia. I've been reading his story."

Henry looked confused as he was flipping through a large book named, 'Once Upon a Time' in large letters on it's leather cover. He said, "I don't have a chapter on Narnia or Aslan."

"I'm not surprised, " said Rumplestiltskin. "Narnia died as a world some thirty years ago."

Belle started to say, "If this is Jadis..."

Emma interrupted, "Oh it's definitely her. Ms. Aveline more or less stomped into town with one of the children who was part of the theft of your shop in tow and told us we needed to deal with it. What I don't get is how she knew. Oh, Belle, she's looking for you."

Rumplestiltskin continued, "I've heard of her, she was also the last Empress of Charn, I believe, and a dangerous magician. Were you able to recover my goods?"

Belle said a touch more urgently, "But you have to know something..."

Emma cut her off again, "No, not yet. But I know who the thief is. By the way, bad idea keeping that out in plain sight. It's how the thief found it, and this witch apparently disintegrated the body of the boy they killed to get her here."

Belle tried again, "But it's..."

Rumplestiltskin cut Belle off again, "I have many books of magic from dead worlds, Ms. Swan. The vast majority are only good as obscure reference, or a nice doorstop. I am as surprised as you are that magic derived from Charn magic works here."

"I really doubt that, Crocodile," Killian interjected.

Rumplestiltskin turned towards Killian in anger and said, "Don't you think I have had my fill of Wicked Witches!?! Haven't they cost me enough already?"

"Stop it and listen!" Belle said in what was for her a shout cutting off Hook's response.

For the first time in a while, Belle had the floor. She continued, "If Jadis can use her ability to disintegrate things, she can probably use the Deplorable Word."

Emma said with just a touch of her trademark sarcasm, "And with a name like that, I'm guessing it doesn't summon sunshine and puppies."

Rumplestiltskin took that one and said, "No Ms. Swan. When it was used in Charn, it killed every living thing in that world, quite possibly that universe. Fortunately for us, it probably won't extend beyond the borders of Storybrooke, because the magic in Storybrooke doesn't reach beyond those borders."

Belle piped up, "From what I've read, I think Jadis is the type to build an army, and then attack, saving the Word as her last resort."

Henry piped up, "Found the Black Cauldron.

He read for a moment, "Oh... yeah, if she has this and has faire dust and some black colored gems and some dirt, she can definitely get an army together."

David said, "Clearly we need a plan of action. Henry, why don't you and Hook go and check in with Dr. Whale. Have him get ready, it sounds like we are going to be sending people his way. Grumpy, take the Dwarves and let folks know so we can have a meeting, let's say in an hour and a half. I think we need to look seriously at evacuating the town."

Belle piped up, "Emma, Mary Margaret, and David, I think you need to see something with Rumple."

"Got it, " David said, "Okay, we'll go see what Belle needs, and meet the rest of you at the Mayor's office with Regina and Robin."

With that, the dwarves took off in one direction leaving Mary Margaret back in charge of her child and Hook and Henry in another.

Emma said, "Belle, what did you want to show us?"


	8. Chapter 8 "Gifts and Curses"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The contents of the Wardrobe are revealed as is the deliveryman, Jadis prepares for her war, and Regina has a foretold meeting.

In the hallway to the Mayor's office, Regina appeared huffily in a plume of purple smoke. She muttered as she made her way into her office, "Why even have a vault if people are constantly breaking into it."

Regina was at a crossroads. It had been a long time coming, but there it was. She was no longer quite the Evil Queen she'd fancied herself as when she had cast the first curse, but she worried. She found herself wondering, can a villain change enough to earn or deserve a happy ending? Was she indeed worthy? She kept this to herself, of course, and acted like it was a given because she had mostly changed her ways. She shook her head to focus on the priorities. Why did they steal moonstones and unicorn hair? The rest she understood. It was clear that this Jadis was about to put an army of undead together. And she'd be ready. As she started to smile, she noticed she had company in the Mayor's office.

It was a Lion, sprawled rather comfortably on the office couch. In fact she was pretty sure it was the Lion, the one she'd seen so long ago.

Then He spoke and she was sure.

"Greetings, Regina, Daughter of Cora, Daughter of the Miller, wife and usurper of King Leopold, caster of the Dark Curse. It is the appointed hour, and we meet again."

"I remember you, " she said, "But how are you here? Narnia's dead." 

The Lion laughed gently and softly and said, "Ask Belle to explain it to you sometime. However, that is not your real question."

"Why are you here, why now?"

"At this moment, Regina, I am here to offer you forgiveness."

"Oh that's easy enough to say, but you don't know what I've done, " she said with a trace of her trademark sarcasm and a bit of regret.

'Would you like the list in alphabetical order, chronological order, or by type of deed?

Regina was confused and angry, but did not respond. So the Lion continued his voice dropping lower and lower into a growl as he went, "Ah, yes, proof. How about this, then. How about the one no one else has ever called you on, because no one here knows of it. What you did the Huntsman in the Enchanted Forest. You took a man born to be free in the wild, ripped his heart out and turned him into your bedroom slave. He became forever captive in your city. An irony, I suppose, for a man meant to run free in the wild with the beasts. All because he told you no. You could have simply refused to have anything else to do with him, but instead you defiled all he was intentionally and maliciously. And it was evil to take away the will of another. It was evil to chain what only wished to be free. And to rape a being in such a manner? Always an evil act. And then, when he finds his will in your cursed land, what do you do? Crush his heart and kill him! Do I need to continue?"

Regina found herself fearing for her life. The Lion's gaze had slid from stern to angry, as if he had been the huntsman she had tortured so. And at the core of that look was deep disappointment. So Regina did something most villains aren't prone to do doing. She stopped and looked inwards and took the blinders off. It is hard enough for someone who had generally lived a good life to see when they really had not lived up to the standard. It is much harder for someone who had been utterly selfish, vengeful, and downright cruel to see it. Still, camels and needles and all that.

She finally found her voice and said, "If you know all that I have done, how can you forgive me? There's no way I can earn it or even fix all of what I've done."

"Oh Regina, forgiveness isn't earned. It must be given. No price can pay the blood price of the vengeful. No apology will suffice. I will make you a deal. When next you wish vengeance, do this instead: Picture yourself giving it to me, and then you don't have to hold onto it. And I will see that proper vengeance is enacted."

Regina flopped down into one of her chairs, as if a massive weight she didn't know she was carrying was lifted. She said, "But what about justice? What about those wrongs?"

"Leave them to me. Your Mr. Gold or Dark one, if you will, is very, very good at ironic payback. I'm better. Give forgiveness freely and be forgiven."

"I.. I'm not sure. I mean it can't be as simple as being forgiven, can it?"

"Atonement is different from forgiveness Regina. Atonement is a choice you make, just like forgiveness. Once you've forgiven, you can't demand atonement. But, you can accept it, if offered and the truly repentant generally will offer it."

The Lion stepped off onto the couch and said as he approached her, "I do not need your answer today, your majesty. Just think on what I have said, maybe visit the fairies and talk with them, or talk with Jiminy Cricket. I can wait, and you have strength. Channel it better."

He stood before her, and leaned his head down and breathed. Regina found a strength that she'd not felt before. When she opened her eyes she found that them damp and the Lion gone. 

@~>~~

Gathered in the back room of Mr. Gold's Pawn shop were Belle, Emma, David, Snow carrying her small child, and Rumplestiltskin who was looking slightly smug after moving a chess piece in passing. Before them was a tall box like structure, covered in a heavy tarp. Belle reached up, and pulled the tarp off with a bit of flourish, revealing the tall apple wood wardrobe she had found earlier. It was built less like a traditional wardrobe, in that it had a single, full sized door in the center with small sides that almost resembled pillars on either side. It had been intricately carved with the shape of an apple tree taking up the top of the door.

Belle said as she opened the door, letting a couple of moth balls fall out, "This appeared a while back, and I think I know who it has to be delivered to when the time is right. But I think we're getting help from somewhere, because of this."

Belle stepped away showing off the contents. On four hooks, two on each side, were old fur coats that looked like they'd been mostly well loved, but had an adventure that had left the hems dirty. In the center of the wall, hung on a hook was a steel kite shield with a cherry red lion device embossed onto the center of it. Hung with it was a sword belt with a sheathed sword that had a pommel made of gold in the form of a lion head. To the right of the shield hung a bow with an ivory quiver full of red fletched arrows. To the left hung another belt, this one with a small dagger and a cordial on it. Additionally, there was a small envelope attached by a piece of scotch tape to the back wall labeled, 'Emma, Mary Margaret, and David.'

David stepped forward and pulled the envelope off the back wall. He opened it up and read the letter. At his look of surprise, Mary Margaret said, "What is it?"

David responded, "You have to hear this. Ahem, it reads: 'Hi kids! The tools inside are on loan for your current situation. When you're done, please return them here and deliver the wardrobe. David, for you, Peter's sword, 'Fenris-Bane' and his Shield. It's supposed to be really good in battle. For you, Mary Margaret, the bow of Queen Susan and arrows. They're natural deadeye and don't miss often. There was supposed to be a horn with this shipment but me and the elves can't find it. Sorry! Finally, for Emma, a cordial made of crushed berries harvested from the sun which will heal almost any wound. Oh, the guy who asked me to drop this off said I was to tell you it was to remind you that saviors are best when they're healers. Finally, the dagger is because you tend to like to solve things with your fists anyways. Just remember not to bring a knife to a gun fight. Well that's all. This has to be the weirdest drop off I've ever done, but what the hey. Be safe in whatever you're mixed up in. Oh, right, before I forget, you should be able to trust the Lion.' and it is signed, 'Sincerely, Scott Calvin (Popo Gigo, etc.)"

"Well that's different," Emma said, retrieving the dagger and cordial. 

@~>~~

Robin Hood arrived at the Mayor's office first. His roguish charm and blond hair always spoke to Regina's heart in a way that was warm and fuzzy. He wrapped her up in a quick hug hello.

"I hear we've got more witch troubles. Is this one a relation too?" He teased with light tone.

"Unless Mother was far busier than I previously thought, I really doubt it."

"Well at least this time, it isn't personal. Oh, speaking of, here are your keys back, " Robin said, handing her a set of rather odd looking black iron skeleton keys. 

She snatched them back and tossed them on her desk, looking up with a sultry look at Robin, "I didn't know you liked women's dresses so much."

"Only on you, " he said playfully. 

He continued, "I grew curious when you mentioned Ms. Aveline's behavior. So I decided to look into her little cottage. The papers are, of course, curse created, but there is a legal thing that seems to change ownership to her five years prior to first arrival of Storybrooke. I think. This world has an odd way of handling deals." 

Regina curled up in his arms and said, "We knew the cottage pre-dated Storybrooke. However, I always thought her arrival was unfortunate coincidence, but it sounds like anything but. Did you happen to get her full name?"

"Yes I did, " Robin said, and then stopped. He gently shushed Regina with a finger to her lips as he concentrated. Then he continued with a slight sigh, "but we have company."

They stepped away as Grumpy bustled in with a growl along with his six compatriots, followed by Hook and her beloved Henry.

"Well, I see we don't knock anymore, " she said archly.

"Hey Sister, we heard war's coming, so we wanna know what the plan is. And who is this witch anyways?" 

Regina looked troubled, "I am not sure. I know a little bit of Narnia. It was a realm where animals talked and were skilled in battle. But, I think with the cauldron in hand, her obvious plan is to forge an army and invade. My plan is to put a swift end to that plan."

"I'm betting you want Tiny in on this," Grumpy said in his usual way.

Regina said, "Yes, and I have just the thing for him, from Wonderland. And this conversation is pointless without the rest of the Charming base ball league."

"Mom," Henry said, "Please, people are scared. "

Regina face softened a bit as she said, "I know, Henry. We just have big decisions to make.

Then her face hardened as she growled, "but for me. No one takes my town from me."

David was in full Prince Charming mode with Peter's sword swinging at his hip as he walked in with his wife carrying her new bow over her shoulder along with it's quiver and her son in her arms. With their full grown daughter Emma carrying the belt knife and cordial, having not yet donned them. He said, "Regina's right. We do have to fight, but the others shouldn't take the risk unless they want to."

Snow playfully rocked her small sleeping baby in her arms, saying, "So what are we to do? Do we evacuate the innocents across the town line? Better yet how? Especially with her being able to threaten us like this."

Grumpy replied, "Well I tell you what, we're definitely not going to bow to her. I've had enough of evil queens demanding that."

Regina pretended not to notice his glare. Robin, however, spoke up, "Regina has explained the situation. As for spiriting people away, I think the first step to that would be eliminating her eyes and ears, no matter which route we take."

Belle walked in next by herself and took up a quiet corner near the door. Ruby joined her quietly. She used to be more involved in these meetings, but lately not so much. Emma nodded towards them, while Robin continued, "the key question is how do we find them?"

"A great question," Rumplestiltskin said upon entering, "fortunately, I have just the thing. Based on what I have heard of Nick's descriptions, it sounds like she has used summoning magic to inhabit spirits into common items. Since they are not natural to either the Enchanted forest or here, I have thoughtfully whipped up a little variation on a tracking spell."

He brandished a pair of purple stones thin chains and said, "Hold them up, they'll glow when you're close and point the way, right at the target. Since the apple's been undone, I've prepared two of them. One for the wolf, and one for the raven. Oh, before I forget, Regina what did our miscreants steal from you?"

Regina growled as she ticked the items off on her fingers, "Black opal, powdered silver, an onyx, three moonstones, and unicorn hair."

Rumplestiltskin nodded, "Odd those last two. In addition to the gems, all she'd really need is a pot filled with soil from a grave. Easy enough. However, those two are only ever used in barrier spells, especially with a sprinkle of mercury."

As if in response to his words, a wave of purplish energy descended in the far distance. As they looked out the nearby windows, symbols appeared before both they and the purple energy vanished.

Grumpy had the first response, "Let me guess, we're trapped... again."

@~>~~

In a glade, Jadis looked in satisfaction. The cauldron bubbled. Adolf panted in wolf form, while Simone stood with her raven-like beast on her shoulder. The only problem was that Nick was no where to be seen. Ah well, she'd correct that small error in time. 

As she walked around the cauldron, intoning dark words and gathering power. Soon enough she'd have her army. But first, she was going to summon a general. With firm words she invoked the name "Otmin, return to me. Otmin, come and be my general once more. Otim, battle calls. Arise once more and bring me what is MINE!"

Smoke arose from the Cauldron, and as it parted, it revealed the form of a decayed man-like beast with the head of a bull, a minotaur. In decayed death, he was twisted from what he'd been in life. his black fur matted and gnarled. His empty sockets glistened with two black opals. His curved blades were rusted and nicked. The armor on his front had been fine battle armor, but rivers of rust ran through it.

He bowed on rotted, nearly skeletal hooves and said, "I serve mistress."

@~>~~

Regina looked over the edge of the border, when she reached to lightly touch the border, a purplish aura glowed and prevented her motion. Rumplestiltskin was unusually subdued close by Belle's side. Nearby, Mary Margaret helped a rather dazed Happy to his feet after having lost the Dwarven lots to see what would happen if someone tried to cross the town line. It probably wouldn't have been so bad, if he hadn't tried it at a full run. Emma kept watch, in case trouble found them in this little excursion.

Emma said while scanning for attack, "So does anyone want to catch me up to speed on this witch's story and Ms. Aveline's connection?"

Regina spoke as she worked some low level magic with a frown, "And what is her connection to Narnia? By the way, I had a run in with the Lion... Aslan, I think you said Belle?"

Belle piped up, "right! I think Ms. Aveline's actually Queen Susan from that tale. But, well I think she's made herself deny that Narnia ever existed."

Regina looked up from her examinations, "But she's from the Land Without Magic, we know that for sure. How can she be from Narnia?"

"Oh, according to my reading, when the land was founded, a bunch of humans arrived along with Jadis via magic ring."

Rumplestiltskin took sudden interest and said, "Really, what kind of magic rings?"

Belle responded, "It's a bit off track, but apparently the original traveler's uncle was a bit of a magician and made two sets, one yellow, and one green. One ring would take you to a sort of holding area, and the other would let you jump to another world."

He responded, "I'm sure the intervening step was some horrible place one wouldn't want to linger."

"Oh Rumple, only to Jadis. For everyone else, it was simply still. In fact so still that one could loose oneself to it. It was a forest. I like the author's turn of phrase, he called it, 'The Wood Between the Worlds.'"

Belle plunged on ahead, oblivious to the sudden ice that had gripped Rumplestiltskin's heart, "Anyways, Aslan apparently sang Narnia into existence, and appointed one of the humans there as the first king, and summoned his wife to be the first queen.

"But Jadis stayed there, eventually styling herself as the White Queen and locked all of Narnia into endless winter, immortal courtesy of a magical apple stolen while that world was new. So along came the four Pevensie children through a magic wardrobe. In fact, I'm pretty sure it's the same one that's sitting in your shop, Rumple. But I digress. There was a prophecy that their arrival would spell the end of her reign. However, she managed to get one of them under her sway. That would be the youngest, Edmund. Too late, he figured out he was on the wrong side, but they were able to rescue Edmund from her and they met the talking Lion, Aslan.

"Jadis however was cruel and smart. She called in the rules of Narnia's deep magic to demand Edmund's life. And to what I am sure was her surprise, Aslan stepped in to take his place."

"Well that sounds like a bright idea," Emma said with a touch of sarcasm. "I take it that he somehow avoided dying."

"Actually, the story is that he came back from death, in part because he knew things she did not. In the end Peter's army of creatures and talking animals beat hers of nightmares, with some last minute support from the Lion and friends. And there she died. There was some mention in a later book that she could be summoned again.

"Continuing on. They ruled over Narnia for a good bit, probably a good twenty to thirty years, one supposes. Eventually were returned home in the moment they left. The four did return once, but when they left, Aslan told them that was their last trip to Narnia. However, based on the books and some things Ms. Aveline said, I am pretty sure that the other three died in 1955 or thereabouts."

Regina looked thoughtful, "Well this barrier is a hopeless. Rumplestiltskin, any ideas?"

"I believe we'll have to find the moonstones and smash them. Unfortunately, they could be hidden anywhere, and I know I would have them well protected, so we must assume she does as well. I am afraid this will come down to a fight."

Emma said, "So, how do we win?"

"What we must not do is take away the sense that she can win. The moment she thinks she's beaten she'll use the Deplorable Word and we've lost. So instead, we need to prepare a strategy where we can give ground while we go queen hunting. We kill her quickly enough, she can't utter the word, " Rumplestiltskin responded thoughtfully.

Mary Margaret and David both looked shocked. She said, "Is there no other way?"

Regina nodded, "Maybe, we should be able to work up a spell that renders her mute."

"Alas, Dearie, that's not an option. You remember Lork and his little leather bands?" Rumplestiltskin asked.

Regina muttered between clenched teeth, "So very, very well."

"Well, it appears she's duplicated the effect. Otherwise, when she attacked Belle out of the blue, I'd have dealt with her properly."

Emma looked up, "I think there's more going on than you say, Gold. But it looks like it's bad enough that we're all going to have to deal with this."

Henry piped up, "Mom, look at this."

Henry's hand was pushed beyond the border. There was no purplish glow preventing him from leaving the borders of Storybrooke.

@~>~~

Adolf howled the howl of a wolf ready for war. Simone stood ready while Haveronger circled above, keeping his raven like eyes out for any interference in this, the beginning of their victory. Well Jadis' victory, at any rate.

Jadis chanted. The cauldron bubbled green with smoke beginning to pour over the edge. In the moment, it exploded into a massive green pillar of smoke and greenish energy. Inside bones rose and slid together into twisted shapes that became humanoid skeletons and skeletal horses. As they emerged, some climbing from the cauldron one clawed, bony hand at a time, others descending from the pillar of green flame to the earth, and yet others emerging with weapons drawn, they ordered themselves into military rows under the foreboding gaze of their new general, himself an undead mockery of his former glory. 

Adolf's thoughts were of blood and crunched bone, while Simone's were those convenient lies people tell themselves when it's blindingly obvious that they're on the wrong side. It is hard to say what Otim's thoughts were. His actions were firm orders and ordering things in preparation for the war ahead.

The doom of Storybrooke had come.


	9. Chapter 9 "War"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The War for Storybrooke has begun in earnest, Snow White sends her son away along with Henry with Ms. Aveline. But where is Aslan in all of these goings on?

@~>~~

Ms. Susan Aveline put down the battered old book she had been reading and walked to her front door in response to the sound of someone knocking. She hadn't been able to catch up with Belle, and frankly, she was fuming a bit. As she opened the door, she found Emma and her son Henry looking downcast. Along with them was Mary Margaret and her slightly fussy young baby.

Mary Margaret spoke first, "Mrs. Aveline, we need your help."

"Well hello to you, too," She responded a touch snippy. She had been in denial and angry for so long, and she really didn't want to get involved. Secretly, she'd found herself begging not to get involved. And here they were on her doorstep, involving her. 

"I really wouldn't trouble you, but you are the only one who can help," Mary Margaret responded in an earnest tone that filled Mrs. Aveline's heart with shame.

Emma spoke up, "It's that Jadis person. It turns out she has her powers from Charn. She, apparently, can kill everyone in town with a word. And if that weren't bad enough, she has put some sort of magical force field thingie around town. Look, we weren't born on earth. I know you don't exactly believe in this stuff, but it's true. It took me a whole season and a near miss with my son before I came to terms with it. The barrier only keeps in people who weren't born here. So you can leave, as can my son, and my mom's baby."

Mary Margeret spoke up, "We're asking for a bit of faith, Mrs. Aveline. If we're lucky, we'll be able to figure out a way to let you back in at the end. But, I just can't leave another baby without someone to care for him. So, please, take my grandson and my son, and take them across the line. It's the only way for them to be safe. You're the only one who can."

Susan Aveline got a strange look as she looked between Emma and Mary Margeret, who both looked about the same age. With a mutter, she said, " I get it, there's one of those screwy time things going on between you two.

Then with a much more firm voice she said, "Alright, I'll take them. Where will I go?"

Emma replied, "I can give you direction to Neal's place in New York. It's not much, but it's a place."

"Ah New York, Mr. Aveline and I used to love visiting there. I can do that, but I'm afraid I don't have a car." 

Emma said quietly as she gave over the keys to her beloved yellow bug, "Here, take mine."

@~>~~

Haveronger landed on Simone's shoulder and reported to Jadis, "My Lady, the citizens of Storybrooke are ready for us. They have raised walls about the town, and I have seen the heroes on the walls, waiting for the coming battle. 

"Otim, let us not disappoint them. They've gone to such pointless efforts. Order the troops forward. Simone, I need Haveronger skyward. Adolf, feel free to join the vanguard. Soon, the town will be mine," Jadis spoke with relish and an evil glint in her eye.

Emma's cell phone buzzed the sound of receiving a text. She looked down and saw it was from Snow White. She looked up to Robin's legendary merry men, dwarves, one very human sized giant, Captain Hook, and oh so many other heroes, and said, "They've come."

The group rushed to their stations. Dr. Whale joined the bulk of the nuns, or rather fairies in the triage area. Regina and Rumplestiltskin headed up to the battlements they'd raised earlier, along with the Merry Men, Hook and Emma joined them, carrying bows. Tiny, as his pickaxe and family called him, took up his position by the wall, and dug out the small piece of Wonderland mushroom Regina had given him. 

As Grumpy followed the rest of the dwarves down a tunnel, he said, "It's win or die time, then."

Haveronger circled and Jadis' army advanced. Adolf had loped on ahead to ambush anyone who might be lying in wait for the vanguard of her forces. She strode confidently, her wand in one hand and sword in the other. Her forces surrounded her in the grim silence of the dead. 

In the woods, Mary Margaret put her phone up and took her bow off her shoulder. It was time to go hunting.

As Jadis' legions crested the hills, the defenders of Storybrooke stood at ready. Regina had joined Rumplestiltskin on the battlements. She couldn't help a slight smile, "Well look what we have here. The witch brought siege engines."

"Indeed, we should do something about that."

Regina got a truly nasty smile as she summoned a fireball and said, "Let's give her a proper Storybrooke welcome."

As two of the catapults exploded in fire, the undead soldiers simply abandoned them. The third got a shot off, but it wasn't set quite right and overshot the walls. Simone felt herself growing angry. Her thoughts were on the nerve they had, flaunting their powers. Well she'd show them. She grabbed one of her wand and gestured, throwing a small bolt of force back at Regina.

It got close, but instead of hitting her, it hit a previously unseen shield of force. Regina said to Rumplestiltskin with a smirk while blowing up one of the battering rams carried by Jadis' army, "Amateur." 

Adolf in wolf form was feeling quite proud of himself. He had caught the scent of a human. It was probably one of the scouts from town. He could not wait until he was able to sneak up on his quarry and crunch his throat. He slunk around the corner on a man with bow in hand, sighting a glowing crystal skyward towards a distant dot in the sky. Adolf's human side dimly recognized him as Robin Hood, but the wolf wanted blood. So he crouched and leapt.

Only to have his jump intercepted mid leap by fast moving black haired wolf. He was thrown to his side, causing him to thrash in anger, trying to fight like a human in a wolf's body. The wolf facing him, on the other hand, fought like a wolf with a single objective. It caught hold of the belt buckle with it's teeth and yanked the belt loose, causing it flap and writhe like a snake. Adolf became a little boy again, as his bones twisted, bent and cracked. His howling snout became that of a screaming and crying young boy. Meanwhile, the black wolf fought with the belt, it's buckle moving like a serpent. Despite the pain, Adolf rushed to grab it back, he was caught by Robin Hood, who had easily slung his bow. He restrained the crying, screaming boy with gentle words, "No child, let it go."

"Give it!" Adolf screamed and wept, "It's mine, I need it! give it back!"

The black haired wolf bit off the belt buckle. Black smoke arose from it's broken remains, as it's belt buckle rusted and fell to pieces. The black haired wolf stepped away from it's battered remains. Robin Hood let young Adolf go. The child ran to the remains of the belt and picked it up, trying to make it work again, but the magic was gone. Nearby, Red Riding Hood, for that's who the wolf was, returned to her human form and donned her legendary hood. 

She smiled impishly at Robin Hood, "Thanks for helping me set that up. Don't you need to do something?"

"On it, " he said, vanishing into the underbrush.

Red dragged a protesting young Adolf by the ear and said, "Come along young man. It's time for you to get a few lessons on what free power actually costs. And what it cost me to be a wolf."

Jadis advanced towards the walls surrounding Storybrooke with a firm and deliberate step. Her army was taking casualties, but what did she care for the losses of the dead. The battle was going reasonably well. In fact, one group had managed to get close to the walls. Haveronger had been giving his sycophantic reports on the battle, like a good servant. Jadis frankly found it more useful than annoying for now. However, as far as Jadis was concerned, the less said of Simone's contributions, the better.

As Jadis strode forward following the troops almost to the wall, she saw a most improbable, and definitely unwelcome sight. A giant, with brushy brown hair and beard emerged from a massive cloud of purplish smoke and stepped over the wall, smashing a dozen of her skeletal troops to dust with a pair of spiked shoes. Those with a more modern frame of reference would call them golf shoes. This to Jadis was odd and unwelcome. The massive pick axe labeled "Tiny" he used to destroy a siege tower, on the other hand, was downright improbable. Then her situation took another turn for the worse, as the ground erupted in seven dwarves, each carrying their own pickaxes. Mary Margaret been lining up a shot on Jadis when they emerged, blocking her shot. Mary sighed and said, "Great job, Grumpy. Still, why waste a shot?"

As a red fletched arrow snapped the bowstring on a ballista some of the undead had been winding to fire, the dwarves advanced on Jadis. Seven dwarves advanced to attack the witch. Dopey fell first, overbalancing his attack and leaving him wide open to Jadis' wand. Then Grumpy fell, grumbling as he became stone. Happy and Sleepy were turned to stone next as they tried to flank her. Doc tried a more subtle ploy, and maneuvered into Jadis' blind spot, but she simply reversed her wand and turned him to stone as he approached. In moments, seven dwarves became seven statues, and Jadis stomped off to deal with the giant.

Haveronger swept over the field. Simone's latest contribution had been to enlarge one of the skeletal warriors. Which had simply made it a lovely target for Regina's fireball and arrows from Robin Hood's Merry Men, who were using the hastily raised battlements to good effect. A full third of Jadis' army lay in destroyed ruins, but she was almost to the battlements, and it wasn't like the siege engines or losses were really all that important. However, Haveronger saw Adolf as a boy again, being dragged back to Storybrooke by a very angry Red Riding Hood. Surely, he thought, her ladyship needed to know. It was another Hood that should have worried him more.

Simone was angry to the point of wrath. It wasn't fair! She should be winning, instead at every turn whatever she did was countered and stopped. Up ahead Jadis was finishing turning the newly re-enlarged giant to stone. She went through her wands to try to find something that would be impressive and work. Even her golden device offered no insight, and Haveronger seemed to be more interested in helping Jadis than her. 

And then a green fletched arrow shot from the nearby trees, skewering her daemon. As Haveronger fell, it streamed black smoke, and it's raven-like body crashed to the ground. Simone ran quickly to where her bird fell, headless of the danger around her. 

Finally Jadis turned towards the battlements where Regina and Rumplestiltskin and shouted a dark word of power. As the battlement began to shiver like water, Rumplestiltskin said, "Oops, time to go."

Two clouds of smoke signaled Regina's and Rumplestiltskin's departures as the battlement turned to dust. Unbalanced, the remainder of the battlement cracked apart and fell all around. Unfortunately, some of Robin's merry men were under the debris.

"Emma, we have injuries over here!" Little John yelled.

As Emma ran to their aid, dropping a single drop from the cordial into each of their lips. Meanwhile, the uninjured archers poured arrows in Jadis' direction. She was slowed, but only long enough to enact a shield of ice. From behind it, she started turning the Merry Men to stone. Emma took in the situation and shouted, "Clear out Guys, fall back into town and try to jump her when she and hers come into town. I'm going to go try to get her with David when she breaks into town."

Mary Margaret had found a hillock with a good view of the battle and set up to start to resume helping her fellow heroes. There she spotted the smoke signaling Regina's arrival in one of the secondary towers. The army of the dead was thinning, but still quite the threat. She didn't have a proper shot yet, but did have a great view of a camouflaged Robin Hood rising up stealthily behind Jadis and lining up a shot. 

In the fields, Simone rushed to the husk of her daemon. She said, " Haveronger, I am here! What do I do?"

It turned it's almost raven looking head towards her, eye red and glowing and said hatefully, "Fail again you stupid cow." 

Simone's world crumbled, but the demon wasn't done yet. It continued, it's voice becoming even more raspy, "you're a worthless magician compared to the Lady, and I hated you every second. I am undone because of you and how worthless you are. Your kind is so worthless, and I hate you so very much. But you were such a fine pawn."

With that, the birdlike thing fell apart into black smoke, some bones, and a couple of mockingbird feathers. And Simone's world crashed around her and she wept. 

Jadis was oblivious to the end of Haveronger and probably wouldn't have cared much if she had been aware of it. Behind her, Robin Hood stealthily arouse behind her, letting his green camouflage hood fall aside. He snapped his bow up and knocked the arrow, and lined up a great shot, only to have it ruined by as a massive undead fist hit him with a hissing bellow, spoiling his shot. He looked up at the opal eyes of the Minotaur Otim. It stood over him, holding his rusted and notched scimitar. Jadis turned, seeing the tableau, she dismissively turned Robin Hood to stone and moved on. 

Regina smiled a dark angry smile that promised nothing nice for the cause of that smile.

"Burn Witch, " she muttered. She gestured drawing the power to her and from Regina's pain, anger and frustration came a massive fireball that crashed down on Jadis.

As the flame and smoke cleared, the ground was scorched black, broken, shattered and glowing slightly red. Jadis herself, however, was untouched. She turned, touched her wand to her forehead in ironic salute and strode towards the wall.

Mary Margaret had another shot spoiled when Jadis uttered another sharp word of destruction. The wall shivered, turned to dust, and rubble fell into resultant hole. David and Hook strode out to attack her. Emma was right behind, but took a bad step on the rubble. A piece of it shot forward, and she fell to the ground at a bad angle, dropping her pistol in the process. David broke to the left of Jadis and Hook feinted to the right, bringing both his hook and a rather nice rapier into play. Otim stepped up to block David, slamming his notched scimitar onto David's shield, and his off-hand rusted blade shattered intercepting David's bright silver sword. David turned the slash into a counterstrike, flashing the lion headed pommel in the light. Meanwhile, Hook had caught Jadis' wand with his eponymous appendage whirling it aside, and then he made the same mistake everyone else had made, he tried to stab directly for Jadis' heart. Although the sword was in her off hand, and at a bad angle, Jadis was the sort of being who ripped the crossbar off of lampposts when aggravated. On the other hook, Captain Hook had the strength of a mortal man. He was simply outmatched, and just as quickly as he had made his thrust, she had wound his sword down to the ground, and freed her wand hand. Meanwhile, David broke one of Ortim's horns on his shield as the undead beast charged him, but it bowled him over, right into his daughter who was in the process of getting up. As David rolled and stood, Jadis bit her lip, and cast. Hook's skin hardened and turned to stone as he bravely tried with his last moment to deliver a hard slash down on Jadis' head. Alas, it was too late. 

Emma's face promised death to Jadis, as she went for her gun. In response, Jadis swung her wand with easy grace and readied her sword to deliver death to the savior of Storybrooke, first. Mary Margaret saw her beloved daughter and husband with whom she shared a heart in mortal peril and tried to intervene. Just as she lined up a shot on Jadis' heart (assuming she had one), her husband, David, blocked her shot as he drove forward, confronting Jadis by interposing the silver shield with it's cherry red lion device. For Jadis, that shield reminded her of all the things she'd hated about Narnia, and she had nothing but bad memories of that particular shield, and the being represented by it's device. Jadis vented her rage with a one handed strike of her sword against the shield. A lesser shield would have been cleaved in twain, steel or no. But this gift could not be so easily broken. David has fought many battles, so he twisted the shield to slide her blade free, and open her up for a fast strike at her center. Jadis was fast and twisted back acrobatically, causing his strike to miss. Otim moved to help Jadis by getting to David's exposed flank, but was hampered when a red fletched arrow sliced between the bones in his bull hoofed foot, and into a tree root, forcing him to stop and grab it with both hands to free himself. Emma chose that moment to roll up with her gun, and shoot Otim in the other knee, causing him to stagger and drop to one knee. That moment, Robin Hood's Merry Men and Regina resumed launching arrows and fireballs on Jadis' undead army, reducing it yet further, almost to the point of collapse. And then it all went wrong. 

Jadis lashed out with a quick kick, knocking Emma down and sending her pistol flying. At the same time, she managed to turn David to particularly bad angle. Otim chose that moment to lash out with his fist tripping David to the ground, and freeing up Jadis' wand for use. Jadis used her sword to tie up David's blade and then bit her lip and invoked her dark magic. David's skin and clothes grayed and hardened. In a blink he was a stone statue. Jadis looked at Emma, still hunting for her gun and smiled with evil joy, "See, Savior, how your allies fall. And just in case you think you've accomplished anything here today... Otim, call them!"

Otim bellowed, and from the trees a massive, second army of the dead began to emerge, thrice the size of her original army. She curled her lips up to let loose another round of gloating in Emma's direction, when Otim exploded in a ball of hot flame, revealing an angry Regina, resplendent in pantsuit, and holding an ancient looking dagger dripping in the venom of a two-headed viper from Agrabah. She said with equal venom, "Oh, we are not done Witch! This is my town."

"It was. Now, you'll join the garden of your allies, and I will move into your little white and black office and rule your town, and then your world. And that toy won't stop me."

Jadis strode forward, twirling her sword confidently and kept the wand arm loose, as she closed on the Evil Queen. As Jadis drew back her wand to turn Regina to stone, Emma leapt and grabbed her upraised arm. Were Jadis human it would have worked better than it did. Jadis simply glanced over, and said, "Fine, we'll do it the other way."

And Jadis stepped forward, and stabbed Regina, causing her to drop her poisoned dagger and collapse. Then Jadis shook her arm, throwing Emma back to the ground. As Emma quick crawled towards her gun, Jadis loomed over her, sword bloody and wand at the ready. 

Mary Margaret had seen it all unfold. In that moment, the strong beacon of Storybrooke collapsed. One should not think ill of her for doing so. Half of her heart became stone, she had suffered the theft of her baby by a Wicked Witch and had to surrender him yet again for his safety. She'd lost her first child moments after birth and it was nearly thirty years before she saw her daughter again, and now it looked like she would loose her again. Her former rival and foe lay bleeding, unable to continue to fight. It was, in that moment, too much.

But it is in moments like this help often comes from unexpected places. A hand gently fell on her shoulder, and she looked up with tear blurred eyes to see Susan Pevensie Aveline standing over her, gently lifting away the quiver and bow. Susan smiled kindly and said, "It's okay, Snow White. You rest. I will take it from here."

"Hello, old friend," Queen Susan the Gentle said as she picked up her bow, knocked an arrow and then said, "Besides that old witch and I have some old business to attend to." 

@~>~~

Here is how Susan came to be standing next to Snow White.

Mrs. Aveline had loaded up Snow White's baby, and the accoutrements that the modern world requires for babies in the back seat, along with Henry. Like many children that age, the baby simply decided that there was no such thing as worry, and had faded off to sleep. Henry was watching over her as they drove towards the town line. Crossing the Town Line was a one way trip out of Storybrooke at this point, courtesy of fairy magic meant to protect it from the dangers of the Land without Magic. 

Henry, however, had many questions, but Mrs. Susan Aveline wasn't in an answering mood. She was fuming and angry. But more and more, the anger was turning inwards towards herself. 

They were almost to the town line, clearly spray painted across the street when she broke. She slammed on the breaks with both feat and beat on the steering will shouting, "No no no no no no no no no!!!"

Henry looked up in shock and the baby awoke with a confused burble. Susan got control of her emotions and turned to the baby and said gently, "Don't worry young one, Granny is just having an existential freak out."

Henry spoke up, "So we're not leaving town?"

Susan's voice no longer held as much anger, but rather the fierce determination of someone who knew the right thing to do, and was determined to do it. She said, "No, we can't leave yet. There's something about Jadis they don't know. It's a mistake only my brother Edmund ever sorted right. And, you, my boy have a job to do. 

 

"But first, we have to get this little cutie to safety, " she ended in a teasing note. 

Henry said as Susan made a U-turn back towards town, "Wait, so if we're not going across the line, what are we going to do with the baby?"

Susan smiled as she drove, far above the speed limit, and a bit recklessly, "Oh I know the perfect place."

A short time later they stopped in front of Mr. Gold's shop. Without hesitation she walked in the front door to find a very aggravated Belle testing out the purple energy bubble around the shop. Henry followed her in and looked surprised. He said, "how did you know?"

"Oh, Mr. Gold seemed the sort. Hullo Belle! Could you please do me a huge favor?"

Belle looked up in surprise, "Mrs. Aveline! I thought you were leaving town."

"I can't leave yet, that old witch and I have business. Besides, isn't it past time you called me Susan?"

"Alright, Susan, then. Can you get me out of here?"

Susan sighed a bit, "I have no idea how to do that, but what I can do is give you charge of Snow White's rather precious baby. Henry and I still have work to do, but someone must care for him. Oh, I need a topographic map of Storybrooke. Do you have one here?"

Belle said, "While you get the baby settled, I'll go find it. Susan, be careful, she's dangerous."

Moments later Susan and Henry roared (as much as a yellow VW bug can) towards the battle. As they approached the walls, the distant sounds of fireballs exploding and the twang of arrows could be heard. Susan stopped and she and Henry got out. 

Susan said to Henry, "Henry, I have a simple job for you. Look for the Lion. He's here, I know it, but my eyes are too old to see him anymore. Seek him, you'll find him. When you find him, run to him and ask him for help. He is good, he will help."

"But if he's good, why hasn't he helped already?"

Susan found a small smile, "Because he doesn't want to take your victories away from you. If you want to do it yourself, he'll let you, even if he knows you really can't. He's a gentleman, that Lion. Now scoot! I have to find your grandmother."

Susan headed out into the woods, and picked the spot where she would have set up to support her brothers in battle, and there she found a weeping Snow White.


	10. Chapter 10 "The Light Fantastic"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The war for Storybrooke concludes. Rumpelstiltskin resolves his chess game. Susan's story in Storybrooke ends.

Henry looked around and to his own surprise he saw a massive lion with a golden mane. The Lion sat regally, watching the war surrounding Storybrooke with stoic sadness. Henry approached hesitantly. There was wild beauty to the Lion and majesty. But time was pressing and Henry knew what to do, if he dared it.

"Hello, are you Aslan?" He said shyly.

"Hello Henry, daughter of Emma Swan, and Balefire or Neal, if you will, Grandson to the Dark One, Rumplestiltskin, and Snow White and her husband, Prince David Charming. I am He," said the Lion.

"I'm confused by of all this, but Mrs. Aveline said I should come and ask you for help. So, can you help us?" Henry asked. He was having an odd moment. The Lion's presence was peaceful and calm. It was as if, at that moment, all would be right with the world, even though clearly things were going horribly wrong.

"I can, and help I shall, " Aslan said as he arose, "When the time is right. It is soon, but not yet."

Jadis was crowed in her moment of selfish glory. Emma was the last of the heroes to challenge her and one wand wave away from defeat. The army of the undead was preparing to overrun the town and she knew she had won. So she raised her wand to turn a scrambling Emma to stone.

Then, a red fletched arrow sliced through the air shattering her wand to bits in a rain of broken crystal. From the hill from where the shot came from, Queen Susan said as she knocked another arrow, "Ed was right, wand first, witch second."

Jadis looked at her broken wand and screamed, "Who Dar--"

Rather, she started to say that. Instead, her rant was cut short by Queen Susan's second arrow, a blunt tipped rabbit killer that caught Jadis right in the throat. A normal human would have probably been killed. Jadis was neither normal nor human. From a distance, she heard the voice of Queen Susan ring out loud and clear, "Oh do Shut UP! Jadis, Usurper of Narnia, Slaughter of Charn. In the name of Aslan, and people of Storybrooke, surrender!"

Jadis attempted to spit out a blasting curse, but her voice buzzed in the clear sign of a cracked voice box, and the magic fell apart. Eyes burning with hate, Jadis lifted her sword in clear intent to kill the savior of Storybrooke. Emma found her gun and rose in a crouch. Emma said, "It's over for you Jadis, give up now."

Henry looked on the massive armies of undead closing on Storybrooke and over at Aslan, who was watching and waiting. The Lion turned his head to Henry and said, "It is time. You may wish to cover your ears."

Aslan spoke with ever increasing volume, "Trees of Storybrooke, for today, Awake, Arise, and WAR."

He ended on a roar that could be heard throughout the bounds of Storybrooke, strengthening and empowering the hearts of every good being within. Those of darker minds felt fear, the sense of impending doom. Jadis, standing above Emma, turned white with fear and shook. The Dark One felt his heart grow cold, even as he pushed ahead to focus on his revenge. And while the sound did not pass beyond the borders of the town, the wise would say that it was heard beyond that border. And if one listens for it, it can be heard still. 

All around Storybrooke, the trees rustled despite the fact that the air was still. Then it happened, branches reached out and grabbed the dead. Roots burst from beneath the ground, wrapping the dead and pulling them under. Tree branches grabbed and pulled the dead apart. If Regina had been in better shape, she probably would have been impressed. In seconds, the overwhelming army of the dead was obliterated by life. Jadis found her courage, or desperation, as she drew back her sword to kill the Savior of Storybrooke. Emma found herself trembling. She wasn't sure if she could shoot the witch. 

BANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANG the gun spoke.

Jadis slowed, stopped, and crumbled to the ground, blood covering her back. Rumplestiltskin stood behind her, holding a pistol. Emma's gun hadn't fired. He said to Emma, "You are welcome, Ms. Swan."

Emma was too in shock to say anything as Mr. Gold leaned over a dying Jadis and whispered in her ear, "You should have left Belle alone, Dearie, but thanks for the idea. Oh, and for the record, Checkmate."

Emma had ceased paying attention to the tableau to turn her attentions to an badly injured Regina. Regina grumbled, "This doesn't make us even, Ms. Swan."

Emma applied a bit of extra pressure and bemusedly said, "I wouldn't dream of it, your Majesty."

Aslan arrived as Emma was attempting medical aid to a protesting Regina. Henry ran to the women he called mother. Both were happy to see him. Aslan, on the other hand, walked on towards Jadis and Rumplestiltskin, neither of whom were happy to see him. Rumplestiltskin arose and walked to intercept the Lion. He stood and said, "I think she needs to be let be at this point."

With a growl Aslan said, "Get out of my way, Dark One. This does not concern you."

Henry looked up from his mother, Regina, and said, "But my mom's injured! Can't you do something?"

As Aslan brushed past Rumplestiltskin, he said, "It seems to me, that the Cordial of Queen Lucy could easily heal that ailment. Which seems rather conveniently located on your mother of birth's hip at the moment."

After Emma smacked her head for forgetting it, she then fed a drop to Regina, who was instantly feeling much better. However, her usual sharp tongue was stilled for the moment. Perhaps it was the presence of the Lion, perhaps it was Jadis, struggling to move weakly as the Lion settled beside her. 

Emma looked at the fallen witch and said, "Can this magic work for her too?"

It was Regina who answered, "No, I think not Emma, her life was stolen from another, bound together by very dark magic. The magic that makes up that cordial, oh it's as light a magic as it comes. Dark and Light don't mix like that. At this point, the light would tear her apart."

"Well said, Regina, Daughter of Henry and Cora, " the Lion spoke gently, and turned to Jadis, who was struggling, "The truth has been said, your time grows short, Jadis, Murderer of Charn, Usurper of Narnia, and troublemaker of Storybrooke. But there is still time. Will you not repent of your wickedness? It has not brought you joy, nor peace. Nor has it brought you friends nor love. It has brought no succor, only pain and misery. Will you not turn? There are no second chances left, no back doors to cheat Death. It comes for you. There is no time left, Jadis. Make your choice."

Jadis attempted to spit in an act of defiance, but instead, blood dripped from her lips and with whispered, crackling breath she retched, "I hate you."

The Lion arose sadly, and spoke, "As you wish, Jadis."

With those words, the witch died, her body turning as if to sooty snow before dissolving into the ground, leaving behind only a strip of leather encoded with runes. Regina looked on the spot where the witch died thoughtfully. As Emma stood up, Mary Margaret finally made her way to them, carrying Queen Susan's bow and quiver. She looked tired and bedraggled, but she found smile for the sight of the Lion.

"I feel I know you, " She said. 

"Indeed you do, you've just forgotten. Hello again, Snow White, Daughter of Eva and Leopold, but where is Queen Susan?"

"She wouldn't come. She said this moment wasn't hers, but that it belonged to the people of Storybrooke, but she did seem happy to see the defeat of Jadis.... I.. I'm sorry. I feel so heartbroken right now," Snow White said as she gestured to the stone statue of David, her Prince Charming.

Aslan spoke softly, sitting in such a way that he could gently put a paw on her shoulder, and then he breathed softly, and her heart felt stronger. It awakened as he said, "Be of good cheer, Snow White. Winter ends, and summer comes anew."

Her mind flooded with memories of a long time ago, remembering a certain small mouse. At the same time the her stone heart reawakened, the stone statue of David began to change, the stone hair began moving in the soft breeze, and his skin turned from stone gray to a the rosy bloom of health. In a moment, he blossomed to full health and with a single swift motion, sheathed his sword, raced to Snow White, swept her into his arms, and kissed her deeply. 

"Ah David.. I knew a David once, he was a man after my own heart.... mostly, " Aslan said before he shook his mane as he walked forward, stopping at Killian Jones' statue to breathe, and end his stony entombment. And so he went, releasing the captives of the witch's dark magic, including seven dwarves who had, perhaps too often, been taken for granite. 

Meanwhile, Emma embraced a rather surprised Captain Hook and Henry raced to embrace them both. Rumplestiltskin and Regina stood side by side, watching the aftermath. He said, "I.. Had best see to Belle. I have a feeling she'll be a bit upset with me. I took steps to ensure her safety. Then I suspect we need to take down the wall."

Regina didn't seem to be paying direct attention. She said distractedly, while watching the Charmings reunite, "Fine, fine."

And then, Henry came and gave her a hug. In a strange way, all was right with the world. The sight over Henry's shoulder of one of the last undead warriors suddenly grabbed and torn apart by a couple of Storybrooke pine trees probably helped, too.

Reginas then recovered herself and said, "Okay Not-So-Charmings, enough with the PDA. I think it's time you returned those gifts to the wardrobe."

"Mom, what about Aslan, won't he be joining us?" Henry said curiously.

Regina was uncharacteristically reflective, "No, I don't think he's a tame being. He'll be around when he wants. I... think it's time we delivered the wardrobe. Plus I think I still have something for it."

Snow White piped up, her joy restored, "I remember now! You still have his sword?"

Regina could not help but find a genuine smile and said, "I do! Henry, would you like to hear the story? We can tell it while we walk."

Henry and David looked confused. Emma and Captain Hook, of course, had heard the story from Regina earlier. So Snow White said, "This is the story of when Reepicheep, loyal mouse of Narnia and Inigo Montoya, the Spaniard, defended your grandmother and Regina from Lork and his armies." 

As they walked towards Mr. Gold's Shop, Snow White and Regina shared the tale. But that is a story that has already been told.

@~>~~

A while later, they were joined at Mr. Gold's Pawn Shop by rather annoyed Belle. Snow White was happily reunited with her young son. There, David, Mary Margaret, and Emma each placed each of the gifts on different pegs in the wardrobe. Finally, Regina knelt, laying a small saber, fit for a large mouse on the floor of the wardrobe. 

Rumplestiltskin watched disinterestedly as they loaded the wardrobe into the back of David's truck. Belle would, in time, he was certain, forgive him for protecting her. And if nothing else he could always point out that if he hadn't created the safe haven, then Snow's baby would have been in jeopardy. As the Charmings, his beloved Belle, the ever interfering Ms. Swan, the occasionally infuriating Captain Killian Hook, and Regina headed off he nodded quietly to himself. 

Once they were gone, he quietly and playfully made the move that should end the chess game in his favor. His foe's king was in check, and he was certain there would be no more moves. Then he finished preparations, which included destroying the spellbook Simone had gotten her hands on, as well as the iron pyrite device, to be sure it would never mislead another soul. From where he stood, the whole affair had been a near miss. The only good to come of it was that, with some careful scheming, he could come use Jadis' strategy to his own ends and maybe visit England. But first, he wanted answers, and like most Dark Ones he'd get them.

Rumplestiltskin laid the Horn of Queen Susan in the center of the summoning circle. A being like himself couldn't use it directly, for obvious reasons, but he could use it to piggyback for a summoning. He took out his dagger, gently waved it over top of the summoning circle, and stepped back.

In a golden light, the Lion of Narnia, Son of the Emperor over the Sea, Aslan appeared. His mane radiated gold light. In majesty, he sat on his hind legs and said, "Greetings, Rumplestiltskin, Dark One, and lately, Mr. Gold."

Then a purple dome, shot with red activated, trapping him inside. And the Dark One smirked as he said, "Hello, so now I would like to offer you a deal."

"Ah yes, I answer questions you ask and when we're done, you remove this blood lock barrier. A nice touch by the by. With of course, my vow that I will not visit vengeance for this act. Ask. Your. Questions."

"Fine, let's start with the obvious. Did Jadis intend to send Melinda to the Enchanted Forest and myself?"

"No, she originally planned to send her to Oz."

The Dark One winced. Zelena had been enough of a disaster for Oz on her own. Melinda would have been an order of magnitude worse, as Zelena primarily operated on jealousy and envy. On the other hand, Melinda had been power hungry and manipulative. The council of witches would have been dead within a year, and Zelena in Melinda's hands was an even more unpleasant prospect.

"How then, did she miss and end up in the Enchanted Forest?" Rumplestiltskin asked.

"I will show you, " the Lion replied. It was if they were elsewhere, a place so peaceful and quiet that nothing ever happened there. Trees and pools were spaced at regular intervals, far as the eye could see. It seemed infinite and perhaps it was. Only one of the pools was a little different. It had a piece of the loamy earth cut, revealing a dark line in the dirt. Most of his heart felt crushed by the stillness and peace. There was something in the darkness that was sickened by this place's very being. But he couldn't possibly actually be there, right? It had to be an illusion, he assured himself even as something bothered him, suggesting maybe things were more real than he wanted to admit to himself. The guinea pig with a yellow ring strapped to it's body with elastic that was currently sniffing at his foot didn't help matters. Nearby, the Lion sat, comfortably within the bubble. The Lion gestured with his paw towards one of the pools and said, "Behold"

Nearby, a pool began glowing gold. In the reflection of the pool, Rumplestiltskin could clearly see the Emerald City. As he looked, Aslan emerged from another pool full of water. He turned, looked and saw that his Aslan was sitting calmly within the prison bubble. The Lion looked bemused at his confusion, which annoyed Rumplestiltskin. Rumplestiltskin pointedly turned back to watch the unfolding tableau. The Lion from the pool settled in and simply stood before another pool, where his light reflected off of it. From the same pool, Melinda, as she was when she first met him, emerged. Her attractive face quickly whitened and she looked in agony, she stumbled, and fell before the pool in front of the Lion. It was as if she couldn't even see him. She splashed her hand into the pool before him. Then, seeming to realize the mistake, she changed her ring from yellow to green and touched the pool again. In the instant, she vanished. As she did, so did the scene, leaving them back in the pawn shop.

"Those rings would have worked on any pool?" Rumplestiltskin asked.

"Yes, " the Lion replied, "but before you ask, none of those rings exist in this world anymore. They were destroyed in 1955."

"Why then, would you send her to the Enchanted Forest? Why not trap her in the Land without Magic?" 

"Why is a dangerous question, Dark One. You may not like the full answer."

"Still, a deal is a deal. I want to know."

"Very well. Yes I could have. But in time she would have realized the error, left, and tried another pool, perhaps returning to Narnia sooner than would be good for be people of Narnia or herself. So better to send her to a being that might, just might, see the reflection of her avarice in himself. Secondly, I wished to offer the opportunity to that dark one to find his son, and in so doing end Nimrue's curse before the full flower of it's harm was done, for the dagger and Dark One must both be in magic to function. The rings would have brought you to England where you would be reunited with your son, and there dealt with your father and ended his schemes before they could endanger your grandchild. But alas, you chose not to wonder why travel magic took two devices, when all others took but one. And so you let Melinda loose in my realm, where she murdered the love of the first true Telemarine king of Narnia, enslaved a people who only wished to be left alone, and tried to create herself an empire. And since she brought magic in the bargaining, I knew such a being would keep it with him. Hoarding it as the greedy, but not being wise with it as he should. This had been, in many ways, Jadis' plan in sending her out. I only interfered in the destination."

"Why not just kill her and be done with it?"

"If I did that, I would have taken away all chances for redemption and change. Witness your own Regina. Had Snow White smashed her as a bug, she would have never found the chance to change. I have hopes for her."

Rumplestiltskin finally asked the question, "Why, why send her to me, why open the door to let Jadis out. What was this all ABOUT?"

The Lion chuckled and said, "Oh Dark One, you would not understand. I am about what I have always been about, Salvation. Yours, this town's, Queen Susan's, and even Jadis. I played the long game with you, because it was useful to that end. Storybrooke is unique in that it is neither the Enchanted Forest nor is it Earth even while it is both. Were Susan completely in one or the other I could not come without consequence to those realms that it is not yet time for. In your need for power, you created exactly the place Aslan could come without playing out the end game of those worlds. Since I had a hand in allowing Jadis to return to this world, I stood ready to help as needed. Did you never stop to wonder why Storybrooke appeared in Maine, rather than the just as useful Upstate New York? It would have been far closer to your son.

"Speaking of your thirst for power. Really, Rumple, trapping almost everyone in Storybrooke with the unicorn spell?"

"It seemed a good idea at the time."

"It really was not. By the way, when you check Jadis' Stellae, you will find that the bubble it creates is vanishing. Within a week, it will be gone."

With that the Lion rose up, and said, "And now, I have places to be."

"But I'm not done, " Rumplestiltskin said.

With a simple puff of breath the Lion blew out the barrier and stepped up to a very surprised Dark One. The Lion said, "Yes, we are. I have answered your questions, and we are done."

As Aslan got very close to the Dark One, he said, his voice dropping into a sad tone, "What am I to do with you, Rumple? Your heart is so coated with coal and tar it won't be much longer before it is completely black and then all love within it will die. What is worse is that, even were all the darkness drawn from your soul, you would take the first chance you have to get it all back, and for what, power? All the lives you ruined or helped ruin. Yes, it brought you your son, but at what cost? Do you not understand, the power that evil offers is not there for you to use, but rather you are used by it! I could end Nimrue's curse right now, break her plague and set you free, if you asked. Will you not trust? Will you not ask?"

"And leave myself and mine undefended, I think not." said Rumplestiltskin. 

"As you wish, Rumple, the door remains open if you wish to walk through it. For now, I take my leave, " the Lion said, turning and walking towards the door. Then he paused for a moment and said, "Oh, and for the record. Checkmate."

Rumplestiltskin looked at the board and saw that indeed, it was so. A simple pawn he'd overlooked resulted in blocking his attempted checkmate, and resulted in his own. Once he was sure that the Lion was gone, he drew out his own heart in the darkness of his own shop. It was black as coal with only a flicker of red deep within. In the darkness of his empty shop, the Dark One, Rumplestiltskin wept.

@~>~~

As Belle, Henry and family arrived at Susan Aveline's cottage, the lights were on and she looked to be home. With a gentle touch, Belle knocked on Susan's door. 

"Come in," came the reply from inside.

As they entered, they found Susan sitting in her favorite chair, spread on her lap was an ancient picture album. She looked somewhat surprised at the number of visitors.

"Hullo Susan! We have a delivery for you. I think, maybe you've been expecting it," Belle said.

Susan smiled sadly, her grey hair glowing like a crown in sunset's light. She said, "I don't suppose so, but my curiosity is peaked, please, bring it in."

It took David, Emma, Henry, Killian and Mary Margaret to get the wardrobe inside and as the cover was pulled away, Susan saw the wardrobe that had haunted her dreams. But in that moment, it was a device of both wonder and impossibility and acceptance.

Belle was surprised to see Susan looking both frail, but incredibly happy. Susan said, "Hello old friend. It's been too long."

Belle smiled as she handed over an old letter and said, "Oh, when we loaded the wardrobe, we found this. It's addressed to you."

Susan took it with trembling hands, for it was indeed titled, "My Dearest Susan."

She opened it, and herein is what she read:

My Beloved Susan,

For thirty-five years I have known you in happiness and grief. And yet, through all those years I knew something was missing. You spoke of your family and it was with such regret and heartbreak. When I found your uncle Jack's stories, I realized what the missing piece was. I knew that something magical had happened to you. So I did as I often have. I believed for both of us. I chose to believe in a good world and a good being who rules it. And in his Son, who gives his all for us.

So, when a still small voice spoke to me, and told me to find this for you, I listened, I trusted and I searched. It took me years, thousands of yard sales, antique shows, and meeting some people who I really wish I hadn't. I even spent time with an estranged friend of his, looking for clues as to it's whereabouts. But eventually, I found it, and bought it. But I had become sick. Age, alas, was not as kind to me as it was to you. So I thought, and I prayed, and I admit I struggled. But in the end I decided to send it across the pond to my cottage in Maine. It's been in the family since the 1900's and it would be yours. We had never had the time to visit the cottage, but how often you reminisced about your time in America. I knew you would want to go there, and I was reasonably sure, given the chance, that you choose to retire there. So I sent the wardrobe on ahead to be delivered to your new home.

It is my prayer that this will find you when you're ready, and that you will think on me with love. For it for love that I found this for you in hope that it would bring healing.

With all my love,

Your Husband, John Aveline

As she finished reading, Susan held the note close to her heart and she cried. Belle wrapped her arms around her gently and together two old friends visited with grief. The rest quietly and somewhat uncomfortably milled about, attempting to give her the privacy the moment required. Finally, Susan found her voice.

"Thank you," she said, "You can not know how much this means to me."

Emma knelt down and said, "I think we all owe you a big thank you. How did you know to shoot the wand first?"

Susan laughed through her tears and said, "It's what Ed did all those years ago. Everyone made the same mistake. They attacked the witch directly, and paid for it. Either by being turned to stone, or by getting stabbed. Well, Edmund saw this, and went for the wand. No gifts, just dwarf made armor and weapons, barely any training, and he saw what to do and did it. I suppose there's a lesson there."

Henry piped up, "Could you share the stories? What was it like, being a Queen of Narnia?"

So Susan began her tales of her time in Narnia. She spoke fondly of dancing with Dryads and Naiads beneath summer moons, and trips with Lucy and Mr. Tumnus through the winter snow. It was an adventure of years.

@~>~~

They had left hours ago with Mary Margaret talking with David about some sort of celebration, and Susan, long talked out, had climbed into bed, feeling each of her years. But now the aches and pains were not enemies, but badges of honor. She faded off to sleep, looking at the wardrobe standing vigil in the next room, easily seen through the door. 

Sometime later, she awoke to the gentle warm breath of the massive Lion. She sat up and wrapped her arms around the shining mane of Aslan, her black hair cascading down her back. She whispered into his mane, "It's you."

"Hello, Daughter of Eve. It has been such a long time, " Aslan responded joyfully.

"I have missed you. I am so sorry I waited so long to see the truth again. Will I see my family soon?"

"We go tonight, Dearheart."

"Can I ride again, like we did so long ago? Is it wrong for me to want that?" Susan asked.

Aslan shook his mane and settled down. In the next room, the door to the Wardrobe was open, and a great valley could be seen. A ways off, four kings and three queens stood waiting, while further yet, the grand towers of Cair Paravel could be seen. Nearer still, a sheltie frolicked with a wire haired terrier in green grass. The Lion spoke cheerfully, "Oh my dear, there is nothing wrong that can want. Climb on!"

Susan climbed on his back, gently holding tight against him.

"Further up and further in," she whispered.

Once she was settled in, the Lion leapt with a roar through the door of the wardrobe which closed behind them. The only witness to this was a skeleton dressed in a black hood and cloak, with a large scythe propped up in the corner. At the moment they left he was sipping tea. 

WELL THERE'S THAT THEN, was his only comment.

Of this story, only a few more things need be said. The next day, they buried the body of Susan Pevensie Aveline beneath a gravestone that read, "Queen Susan the Gentle, Last Queen of Narnia, Hero, and Friend."

Snow White and Charming would hold a naming party for their baby, whose name was Neal. With Jadis dead and gone, the Wicked Witch would escape her prison and enact her time travel spell, but it would have unexpected consequences for her, Emma, Captain Hook, Regina, and a few other residents of Storybrooke. And soon thereafter, the Snow Queen would be uncovered in Storybrooke. Simone and Nick were both punished for their part in what happened. Nick embraced the punishment and somehow managed to whistle while he worked, but Simone would endure it and many lessons from both Regina and Emma about the uses and abuses of magic. Adolf's sanity was broken, for he had most closely hosted evil in his mind and body. Archie Hopper continued to council him, hoping some day to bring about healing. 

Of Queen Susan this must be said, that she had many more adventures where the whole of human literature would be but the cover and title page. But that is another story.

THE END

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that's it! This was my first attempt at a fan fiction. Thank you for reading it. I would love your comments and insights. If you have any questions, please ask. Thank you again for journeying with me through a little story.


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